Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, who made his debut for India in their victorious Asia Cup campaign last month, is now keen on cementing a spot for himself in the World Cup through good performances against the West Indies.
Ahmed impressed with his ability to swing the ball in Dubai and he already has a World Cup spot in mind, with just 18 matches left before India take on South Africa on June 5 next year in their first match.
“It’s a good preparation for me for the World Cup. I want to take as many wickets as I can in the ODIs leading up to the World Cup. It will also boost my confidence and I will be under less pressure, if I am picked for the World Cup,” Khaleel said, as quoted by PTI.
He also said that the guidance he received from former left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan during his days at the Delhi Daredevils has helped him grow into a better bowler.
“I think I became a better bowler with his (Zaheer’s) advice.
“I have spent a lot of time with Zaheer bhai during my two-year stint at the Delhi Daredevils. We played in different conditions during IPL and he always kept discussing on how to bowl on different surfaces,” added the 20-year old.
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He further recollected his nervous moments before India’s Asia Cup opener for Hong Kong where he went on scalp three wickets for 48 runs on debut.
“I was very nervous (for my debut) as my first tournament happened to be a big tournament like the Asia Cup. There was pressure. But after doing well on debut, I felt I could go further,” the Rajasthan bowler, while addressing the media after a net session, said.
His seniors in the team never really made him feel like a newcomer but instead did the exact opposite, adds Khaleel, who is set to play his second series.
While speaking on the closeness and warmth within the team, he said, “I never have a feeling that I’m a junior in the side. Seniors support me well. Everyone keeps talking to me and boost my confidence.”
Image credit- Cricfit