Razzak eyes number 1 spot

75 wickets in 49 matches; such has been the consistency being shown by Abdur Razzaq who has recently got his ranking within top ten. Q: Now you are number 9 bowler in the ODI rankings which is a great achievement. How do you feel about it? Raz: I think every cricketer dreams of holding one of the positions in the ICC top ten rankings. This is in fact considered as the reward of good performance. I also had my aim to reach this goal. I am feeling so good to be there. Before I came to know about it, my family members called me up in the morning and informed me. Then I received several congrats calls.

Q: So you wanted to be in the top ten and you are already in. Are you satisfied?

Raz: No, I dream of being the number one.

Q: Do you think it will it be possible?

Raz: I believe that getting from strength to strength I may reach my target someday. Though it is not always possible to attain whatever you wish for. You have to work very hard. But I think I am in the right track. Again fate plays nonetheless a vital role. If everything goes okay, I feel it will be possible to go to the top.

Raz: Of course. Unless a captain confides in a player, he may never let him bowl during a crucial period of the game.

Q: There is an allegation against you that you don’t play that well if the batsman is not playing in an offensive mood or not under any pressure.

Raz: People say so many things. I never take them seriously. My team has faith in me; what else will I need? I am doing my job, am not I? In fact these issues are being brought ahead because I am performing well. Otherwise no one really cares for some one who is not up to the mark. I take it as a challenge to bowl like this in the innings. And I try to win this challenge.

Q: You have already been labeled as a “one-day specialist”. What do you say?

Raz: I don’t want to make any comment on this. When selectors will feel that I have become fit enough to play test, they will call me.

Q: Does it mean that you do not consider yourself capable yet to play test?

Raz: It doesn’t matter what I mean at this stage. It is not in my hand. All I have to do is to do my job and perform well. Let it be test, ODI or first division cricket, I only aim to do it with success.

Q: So you are confident about your success in test?

Raz: I hope that I will be able to keep up my success from one-day to test. I will try to perform the same in the test arena also.

Q: But you can not overlook the difference between test and one-day?

Raz: Yes there is difference between the two. But again it is a cricketer’s duty to cope up. Above all better performance is a must.

Q: You have got the wickets of Tendulker and Lara in the World Cup. Isn’t that
memorable for you?

Raz: Yes, indeed. For any bowler it is a prestigious issue to take big wickets like Lara and Tendulkar. In fact the batsman who is able to shape up the match will be a memorable wicket for any bowler.

Q: So far you have taken 75 wickets in one-day; which one was the most memorable in your consideration?

Raz: The wicket of Brian Lara has been the most precious one in my collection so far. From the very first moment of my cricket career I have been dreaming of obtaining Lara’s wicket. Before World Cup, the only match I played against West Indies, was a selection round match of Champions Trophy in India. Lara did not play in that match, so I missed the chance and felt very upset. I was so close to my dream but it didn’t come true. However, now after World Cup, I have no regret at all; it’s even better.

Q: Tell us something about Mohammad Rafique?

Raz: To be very honest, Rafique Bhai is not only a great spinner but also a great person. He always tries to share his experience with others. I have hardly seen a cooperative person like him. I am really fortunate to have a person like him beside me.

Q: Who is your idol among the left-handed spinners?

Raz: While having someone like Rafique Bhai as a teammate, you scarcely need anyone else!

Q: What are the strongest aspects of your bowling? And what exceptional
techniques apart from others would you like to add to your performance?

Raz: I also bowl pacy deliveries like Rafique Bhai. But I can extract more turns and my arm ball is also there. These two can be said as the main source of my bowling strength.

Q: Your career is now made up of 49 matches only. You have been a consistent bowler from the beginning but you have not been in the lime light that way. Any sadness for that?

Raz: I don’t think much about it. What I have mentioned earlier that I am always more concerned with my performance than any thing else. My job is to play well while media’s job is to make me a star or whatever. Isn’t it the media that make somebody a star? When it begins to write about someone, the person becomes a star under the lime light. The case is same for me.