In exclusive remarks to PakPassion.net, Nawaz spoke of his own background and his rise to fame in the Under 19 arena and gave his insight into the pressures and preparations for the upcoming crucial game against India.

by Amir Husain (18th August, 2012)

As the ICC Under 19 World Cup enters its crucial Quarter Final stages, all eyes are now firmly focused on what can only be described as the “El Classico” of the cricketing world – the much anticipated clash between two arch rivals, India and Pakistan.

If their last encounter in the Under 19 Asia cup in Malaysia which ended in a last ball tie was any indication, the Quarter Final in the World Cup clash in Townsville promises to be another blockbuster. With both teams brimming with confidence and coupled with the extraordinary talent, fans and experts expect nothing but a closely fought battle with no quarter given by either side.

Whilst both sides have advanced to the Quarter Final stage without too many alarms, the weight of expectations to perform will be immense on the young shoulders of both squads. One of Pakistan’s brightest young talents, all rounder Mohammad Nawaz will be one such player who will be waiting anxiously to prove his mettle in the huge clash against India.

In exclusive remarks to PakPassion.net, Nawaz spoke of his own background and his rise to fame in the Under 19 arena and gave his insight into the pressures and preparations for the upcoming crucial game against India.

Nawaz who hails from Rawalpindi started off as a “tape ball” player where he played in the streets around his home in the city. He soon progressed to “hard ball” cricket where he represented his school and then became part of the national Under 15 and Under 19 squads. A left arm spinner and batsman, Nawaz spoke highly of the veteran Pakistani opener Saeed Anwar who he identified as a role model for his development.

“Apart from Imran Khan who is generally the inspiration for most Pakistani cricketers, if there is one more cricketer that has influenced me, that has to be Saeed Anwar – I used to watch his innings with great interest and have tried to copy him where I can. In terms of a pure allrounder, Shahid Afridi is the other player whom I really admire.”

The all rounder classification maybe a heavy burden to bear for most cricketers but Mohammed Nawaz is carrying this distinction with some aplomb. It did not take long for him to be earmarked as a special talent from a very early age as he was selected to tour with the Pakistan Under 15 team to the West Indies in 2008 with fellow colleagues Babar Azam, Zafar Gohar and Usman Qadir. He continued his fine list of extraordinary performances into the International arena when he was selected for the Under 19 tour of South Africa, finishing the tour as Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker with 20 wickets at an average of 16.35.

More recently at the Asia Cup in Malaysia, he showed his all-round ability with an attacking 53 runs off 33 balls with the bat before returning to pick up 3 for 9 with the ball against the hosts.

His current Under 19 World Cup campaign has seen a further reinforcement of his credentials as he was named man of the match against New Zealand. Not one to believe in tags, Nawaz doesn’t feel obliged to be identified as an all rounder but as someone who can give his fullest as and when an opportunity arises

“I don’t agree with this idea of being tagged as an all rounder. In my view, if I have to bat, I bat like a regular batsman and give my 100%. It’s the same when I am asked to bowl - I play as if I am a bowler. The more important point is to enjoy what you do and perform at your peak. I feel confident in both aspects of my cricket”

The Pakistani cricket establishment has come under fire from all quarters for a variety of weaknesses but one area where they have earned a lot of respect is the manner in which the Under 19 squads have been groomed by taking part in international tours. Nawaz for one, does believe that Under 19 tours are an integral part of development of young cricketers in the country as they provide them with precious experience that can hold them in good stead later as they move into the senior team.

“The Under 19 tours a great way for us to learn the many aspects of the game. Obviously, apart from the pressure of playing away from home, the variety of pitch conditions can be of great help to teach young players and really helps when we transition to the senior team. For example when we play domestically, we are used to driving the ball but where there is more bounce, as in Australian pitches, we tend to play more cut and pull shots – at home we play mostly on front foot whereas here, we are quickly adapting to play on the back foot."

"Looking at our current tour, we have learnt a lot on this tour as initially we had problems in batting and spin bowling but hopefully we have sorted these out now. Personally speaking, I am working on my own batting to ensure that I stay longer at the pitch and the coaching staff are really helping me in that area.”

For cricketers from the sub-continent, the India Pakistan clash represents the most memorable point of their playing careers and the Under 19 cricketers are not immune to the pressures of such high profile games.

Having tied the game in Malaysia, the two teams will be looking to establish their superiority over their old rivals in the Quarter Final match on Monday. Mohammed Nawaz is well aware of the significance of this game as well as the strength of the opposition but feels his team will not disappoint their followers.

“The team as a whole is very confident about the upcoming game against India. We have all been working very hard on all aspects of our game and we are particularly happy about the backup and support provided by our fans. There is also pressure on us to win this game but regardless, we are confident that we can win. We played well against them [India] in Malaysia but we have worked on many areas of our game. We are aware that Indian batting is strong but we feel that the Indian captain Unmukt Chand is the main batsman to watch out for and is a threat to us. I would say that we are working more on our own abilities instead of worrying too much about the about the opposition. For example, as our coach has pointed out, we have to cut down on extras and especially no-balls which are just free runs for the opposition as they can get a free hit and alleviate the pressure on themselves.”

With the Muslim festival of Eid Al Fitr expected to fall on Sunday, Nawaz is aware of the significance of the game against India. Whilst he would dearly like to present his nation with a victory to mark the occasion against the old rivals on Monday, he also realizes that the ultimate prize is to win this tournament and has this message for followers and fans.

“Like I said before, we continue to receive great messages of support via phone, Facebook and through forums such as PakPassion. We know that people are hoping for our victory. For our part, I would like to wish all our fans and countrymen a heartfelt Eid Mubarak and ask them to pray for our success not only in this game but in lifting the World Cup trophy”

The two arch rivals meet in an all important quarter final on 20th August in Townsville with the winner moving on to play the Semi Finals on 23rd August, against either New Zealand or West Indies.