Haider Ali, who played a sensational knock in his T20I debut match against England, has quashed all the opinions stating that New Zealand’s pacer Lockie Ferguson absence is a big advantage for Pakistan in the coming three-match T20I series.
Ferguson had an eye-catching Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after he was included late in the Kolkata Knight Riders‘ playing XI, picking six wickets in five matches. In the last three-match T20I series against West Indies, he was adjudged player of the series as he notched seven wickets.
Lockie Ferguson ruled out because of stress fracture:
The 29-year-old Lockie Ferguson was ruled out of the T20I series because due to a stress fracture in his back. Trent Boult, who was rested for the West Indies series, will play in this series and will be available only for the second and third games of the series.
The T20 series between Pakistan and New Zealand will begin on December 18.
Ferguson’s absence won’t make a big difference, says Haider Ali
Haider Ali, who will be playing first time the T20I series in New Zealand, played down the absence of Ferguson. He stated that his side is strategizing to face every bowler in Kiwi’s attack.
“I don’t think it is a big difference to us because we are preparing to face all their bowlers and we don’t believe in focussing on any one particular bowler,” Haider Ali said during a media interaction.
“We give importance to all opposition bowlers be it Ferguson or anyone else. Sometimes it happens that the part-time bowlers take wickets instead of the main bowlers. It’s not our mentality to focus on just one bowler,” Haider Ali added.
Meanwhile, the fast bowler Jacob Duffy has earned his maiden call-up after impressing with his performances for Otago in the domestic circuit and New Zealand A.