Junaid Khan feels he's back in his best form

Pakistan bowling spearhead, Junaid Khan played a crucial role in the team’s Champion’s Trophy victory. The tournament acted as the perfect platform for Junaid to silence his critics. The 27-year old scalped 8 wickets with some spectacular display of bowling in the 2017 edition of the Champions Trophy.

Junaid had made his One Day International (ODI) debut in 2011. However, he had been in and out of the Pakistan squad since 2015, owing to injuries. He has healthy records to boast of with 94 wickets in 62 ODI games. His comeback into the young Pakistan side as a dependable wicket-taker will undoubtedly power the team’s bowling line-up as they look forward to the 2019 World Cup.

In an interview, Junaid spoke at length on his team’s memorable journey to lift the Champions Trophy, the feeling of being part of an impressive fast-bowling unit along with the likes of Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali, the return to his outstanding form and his upcoming stint in County cricket with Lancashire this season.

Pakistan were destined to win the Champions Trophy, feels Junaid

A proud member of the victorious Pakistan squad in the Champions Trophy, Junaid had been confident in his team’s abilities all throughout. Elaborating on the moment he felt that the trophy could be theirs to grab, he said, “I felt that we were destined to win the Champions Trophy when Thisara Perera dropped Sarfraz Ahmed‘s straight forward catch at Cardiff.”

That match against Sri Lanka was huge for us, our bowling clicked with Mohammad Amir and I bowling well in tandem at a crucial stage of the match and it was during that match that I felt we could actually win the tournament. The Champions Trophy tournament was in the month of Ramadan as was the 1992 World Cup and it seems that both times, the prayers of our fans were answered,” he told PakPassion.net.

Feels he’s back in the game

When enquired about having reclaimed the top-notch bowling standards that he’d set himself previously, the left-arm bowler replied, “I also felt really good at the Champions Trophy and I was really happy with my bowling especially in the death overs. The yorkers were there, the bouncers were there and I felt that I was bowling with good rhythm, at a decent pace and whatever I was trying to do was working for me.

“It boosts your confidence when you know you are one of the main players and not on the fringes hanging onto your place in every match and worried about your place in the team. Confidence plays a huge part in a cricketer’s performances and I feel I am always at my best when I am confident and being supported. I feel that I am back to my best and the Junaid Khan of 2013/2014 is now back,” Junaid said.