Jamshed cherishes second ton against India
First Published : 30 Dec 2012, 21:30
Last Modified : 30 Dec 2012, 21:30
He pulled the second ball of the 47th over, a short delivery from Ashoke Dinda, to midwicket for a single. He lifted his bat towards the applauding dressing room and bowed down on the ground to thank God. That was the moment when Nasir Jamshed scored his second ODI century.
His first came in the 2012 Asia Cup against India. Pakistan lost the match by six wickets. But the second time, he turned the result around to give his team a 1-0 lead in the three-ODI series.
India’s 227 was never a tough score to overhaul on an eased-out second-innings Chepauk wicket. But with the sun shining brightly, the heat was a difficult opponent to counter. Jamshed, the 23-year-old opening batsman, not for a moment, seemed uncomfortable or tired during his 48-over stay at the wicket. His innings of 101 was unbeaten and chanceless.
More importantly, with his first century on the Indian soil, Jamshed managed to outweigh one of the greatest ODI knocks ever played in Chennai – MS Dhoni’s 113*.
After Pakistan’s six-wicket win, Jamshed, drenched in sweat but with a smile on his face, shared the magical experience in a chat with bcci.tv.
Here are the snippets from the interview:
Your body must be tired but your face doesn’t reflect that
This is my second ODI century against India and I am feeling really great that this time I’m on the winning side. This is a special feeling and it has come by the grace of God. I also thank my captain for showing immense confidence in me, and my teammates and support staff for helping me in every way.
The way you batted today, belied the fact that you’re only 23 and playing a bilateral series in India for the first time
It’s a big series for us and India as well because so many people follow it. But I tried my best to not think too much about it and play like I’m playing any other game. I tried to take the crowd and the opposition out of the picture and concentrate on my game. It wasn’t easy but I had to do that in order to get the best out of myself.
Did having guys like Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq around help you calm down further?
It was really helpful having senior batting partners like Misbah ul Haq and Younis Khan who have played against India so many times before. Younis Bhai has always done well against India and I benefitted a lot from his guidance in the middle.
What do you make of India’s young pacer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar?
He’s a tough bowler to face and an excellent prospect for India. He’s capable of swinging the ball really well and facing him up front in swinging conditions was a challenge. I hope he plays for India for a long time.
You let the T20 series slip out of your hands after winning the first match. The team must be keen on not repeating that mistake in the ODIs
Yes, we let the T20 series slip away in the second game, but we’ll try our best to keep the momentum going in the ODIs and win this series. I too want to continue improving my form with each game and play a crucial role in the team’s wins.
