“He’s got a bit of Steve Smith about him…”: Nasser hails Pakistan debutant Kamran Ghulam

Multan [Pakistan], October 16 (ANI): Former England captain Nasser Hussain hailed Pakistan’s debutant batter Kamran Ghulam for his century during the second Test against Three Lions at Multan, comparing his batting to the Australian great Steve Smith.

Walking in at number four in place of star batter Babar Azam, who is rested from the remainder of the series after a series of low scores, Ghulam defied all pressure and expectations to become the 13th Pakistani player to score a century on debut.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the play on day one, Nasser said, “Pakistan players generally love the sweep shot, he has got that in his locker. He used his feet as well. He’s got a bit of Steve Smith about him when he defends the ball and charges. He has got a bit of swagger about him.”

“He had to wait his turn. He’s been scoring prolific runs in the last three years. He got the right balance between attack and defense. They lost a couple of early wickets – on debut you want to get out there and that will have helped him,” he added.

Ghulam is one of the most consistent stars of Pakistan’s first-class cricket circuit since his debut in 2013. In 59 matches and 98 innings, he has made 4,377 runs at an average of 49.17, with 16 centuries and 20 fifties. His best score is 166.

He was also the part of Pakistan’s 2014 U19 World Cup squad, scoring 100 runs in six matches with a fifty to his name.

After his impressive century, Kamran said that he waited for his chance for years and did not give up.

During the press conference after the day’s play, he said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, “I had been waiting for my chance a long time but I never gave up. I had been waiting for my chance. That is all I thought about. I kept being selected and then omitted from squads, and all I used to think about was how to take the chance I had been given. When I came to the wicket we had lost two wickets. But I wanted to play with a positive mind like I do in first-class cricket. That was at the back of my mind, and I wanted to play my natural game.”

Thanks to a well-compiled fifty from Saim Ayub (77 in 160 balls, with seven fours) and Kamran’s ton (118 in 224 balls, with 11 fours and a six), Pakistan reached 259/5 at the end of day one.

Jack Leach (2/92) was the top wicket-taker for England.