Saud feels elated after achieving milestone

RAWALPINDI: Saud Shakil, who struck a responsible hundred to set up the platform for a big Pakistan total in the first Test against Bangladesh here, said achieving milestones has never been his priority as he put all his energies to team’s win.

Talking to the media at the close of the second day’s play, he said he never knew he had achieved 1,000 runs in the quickest time. “That was never in my mind as I came to know about achieving this at the end of the first day’s play. I never focused on achieving records, they come with the time. My all efforts have been on contributing to the team’s win and giving the best at the wicket. I played a few One-Dayers and Tests. In both formats, it is the contribution to the team cause which holds greater importance for me. Though I did know about the fifties record when I struck seven fifties in a row.”

Saud added that when he came to bat on the opening day, the chips were down. “Pakistan were struggling at 16-3. I tried to come hard on Bangladesh by playing in an aggressive style at the outset of my innings. That was the requirement at that time. Once we settled down, Razi Bahi took over and started playing aggressively. Once I achieved my hundred I again opened up.”

Saud admitted that his partnership with Rizwan served the batting well. “The game of cricket is all about partnership and helping each other. That is what we done today. We batted well and supported each other.”

The southpaw believed that Bangladesh’s fast bowlers did not use the pitch well on the opening day. “Once we were three down for 16, Bangladesh bowlers did not put enough pressure and were involved in wayward bowling. They could have used the advantage coming their way in a much better way. The bowlers started bowling short-pitched deliveries and often they were errant in their direction.”

On captain Shan Masood’s decision not to wait for Mohammad Rizwan’s double century, he said the whole team knew that once we came closer to 450, chances of declaration would be there. We wanted to give proper time to the Bangladesh team as all we needed was 20 wickets to win matches.”

Saud was bit unhappy over the outfield terming it too slow for the looking. “We played a good number of shots in gaps that should have touched the boundary. The majority of our shots stopped well before the boundary.”

On his failure in Australia, he said he did not have enough preparation for such a big series. “When I played for Shaheens just recently, I gained my confidence which is required at such a big stage.”