Kamran's replacement Salman aims to justify his selection in Pak team for Windies tour

Lahore, April 8: Mohammad Salman, who has replaced Kamran Akmal as the Pakistan wicketkeeper in both Twenty20 and one-day matches during the upcoming West Indies tour, has said that his inclusion in the national squad is a perfect opportunity for him to justify his selection.

Salman expressed his readiness to take up the challenge as he stepped into the shoes of faltering wicketkeeper Akmal, who had been replaced by brother Adnan Akmal, Zulqarnain Haider and Sarfraz Ahmed in recent times due to his dismal show behind the stumps.

“I don’t believe on setting up a long-term goal. My immediate objective is to justify my limited-overs cricket selection,” The Express Tribune quoted Salman, as saying.

The butter-fingered Kamran was dropped from Pakistan’s squad for the limited-overs series against West Indies on Wednesday following a spate of poor outings in the recently concluded World Cup.

“I understand the timing of my selection and I’m extremely privileged to be given the important responsibility,” said Salman.

The 29-year-old, who is yet to make his international debut, is aware of the dual responsibility on the shoulders of a wicketkeeper in limited-overs cricket.

“Cricket has changed, especially with the popularity of the Twenty20 format. A wicket-keeper is not only supposed to be sound behind the stumps but also needs to play a huge role with his batting abilities,” he said.

Salman, who has played 103 first-class matches at an average of 26.63, caught the selectors’ eye in the recent season where not only he had 30 dismissals in 11 games, but also hit three hundreds.

“Realising the fact that a wicket-keeper has to perform a dual role, I had to improve my batting ability,” he added.

The wicketkeeper is also fully aware of the fact that one has to handle pressure to do well at the international level.

“I think the only difference between domestic cricket and playing internationally is the pressure, said Salman, adding, “If you look around, the players who have been outstanding in their careers are those who can handle the pressure at the big stage.”