Javed says Pak bowlers Talha, Asif have potential to perform well in international cricket

Karachi, Mar 4(ANI): Pakistan's outgoing fast bowling coach Aaqib Javed has reckoned that bowlers Mohammad Talha and Umaid Asif have the potential to perform well in international cricket.

"Talha has always impressed me, I rate him very highly, he is tall and fast and can swing the ball. He has everything a fast bowler needs, but just needs some time and some encouragement from the team management to establish himself," PakPassion.net quoted Javed, as saying.

Referring to 27 year-old Sialkot-based Asif, Javed said:

"He's a tall fast bowler, he is very good. Umaid has a very nice high arm action and can swing the ball. Before the series against England in the UAE, I called Umaid and put him into the Academy so that he can develop his bowling further. Upon my return from the UAE I went to see Umaid at the National Cricket Academy and he looks good to me. I think in the upcoming season he will make people sit up and take note of his ability. I think Umaid is a bowler who will impress everyone and has a lot of potential. The PCB need to invest in Umaid and I'm sure he will repay that investment."

Javed expressed satisfaction regarding the performances of Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan and Umar Gul.

"It was satisfying to see Aizaz Cheema's recent improvement and he bowled very well against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Cheema just needs to try and bowl closer to the stumps and we've talked about that and I think in the upcoming series Aizaz will bowl even better. Junaid Khan bowled very well against Sri Lanka and particularly bowled well against two of the best batsmen in the world, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene," Javed said.

"Umar Gul just gets better and better. He's not had the opportunity in the past to lead the bowling attack as he was behind the likes of Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, but these days he is the leader of the bowling attack and he is responding well to that. Gul has taken on the responsibility of having to lead the bowling attack and has done a very good job," he added. (ANI)