Pakistan’s pace sensation Mohammad Aamer insists he remains unaffected by the “pressure” of playing international cricket.
The 18-year-old left-arm quick was named man-of-the-match in Pakistan’s four-wicket third Test win at The Oval on Saturday for his impressive career-best five for 52 in England’s second innings.
He has now taken 13 wickets at an average of just over 20 apiece in three Tests against England. And it’s not just his bowling that shows maturity beyond his years. Aamer’s resourceful tailend batting has been a feature of the current campaign and his patient unbeaten four helped Pakistan to their victory target at The Oval in a win that reduced England’s series lead to 2-1 ahead of the final Test starting on Thursday.
“I don’t really let pressure affect me at all,” Aamer told the PakPassion.net Web site.
“I believe that pressure is something that an individual creates for himself and it’s something that you can avoid. I guess it’s just down to the individual and the characteristics of an individual,” he said.
“I just go out there, relax, smile, enjoy myself, play my natural game, do what comes naturally to me and play my cricket according to the conditions and match situation,” Aamer said. “The more you worry about things when you are out there in the middle, the more problems you are going to encounter.”
Aamer and Mohammad Asif are rapidly developing into one of the best new-ball pairings in world cricket and Aamer said: “He’s a fantastic guy to bowl in tandem with. He’s such a threatening bowler, someone who has the ability to take a wicket with every delivery. He never gives the opposition batsmen any respite. His nagging accuracy and skill really helps me and I think we complement each other very well.”
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