Qalandars weren’t playing smart cricket, lacked intensity in earlier matches, says Devcich

SHARJAH: Lahore Qalandars opener Anton Devcich said that the reason behind team’s failure to get the desired results in earlier matches was because the team did not play ‘smart cricket’ and it was lacking the required intensity.

Speaking exclusively to Geo.tv, the Kiwi batsman said “as a squad, we all feel the pain of losses and we don’t play as we should. We had a few teething problems which we seem to have found out now. Hopefully, Lahore people realize what team they have got now.”

Qalandars won their game against Quetta Gladiators by 17 runs in the match held at Sharjah on Thursday.

Devcich added that as a unit, the Qalandars were not fielding well as a unit in the earlier matches, and he tried to fill the gaps which the team was missing.

“There were small things which the guys were not doing right. I tried to bring in a little bit of energy, intensity and all now it seems that the guys are on board and doing all the right things,” he added. “We lost five straight games and it was not through lack of preparations or trying but there were just a few little things that we needed to get right.”

The Kiwi player called the Pakistan Super League as ‘one of the best’ and said that the conditions in the tournament are strictly competitive for Aussie, Kiwi and South African players.

“The quality of overseas player is exceptional,. The local talent playing in the tournament from the talent hunt programme is outstanding,” he noted.

Devchic said that he expects that the PSL will do the same to the Pakistan cricket, what Indian Premier League did to the Indian national team. He credited the t20 league for improving the fielding standards of the Indian team.

“The Indian team has become one of the best fielding team in the world now and that’s on the back of IPL,” he said.