UAE's Saqlain Haider keeps wickets for Australia in warm-up game against Pakistan A
Saqlain Haider, a member of the United Arab Emirates squad, was flown in by the Australian management to keep wickets for them in the second innings of a warm-up game against Pakistan A, after it was decided that Brad Haddin, the team’s regular, should be given time to recover ahead of the first Test against Pakistan, starting on October 22 at Dubai.
Haider, a bank employee who made his national debut only last year, performed exceptionally well in his role, taking a brilliant catch to dismiss Shan Masood off off-spinner Nathan Lyon’s bowling.
"My coach informed me that Haddin was having a rest and you need to go and keep for the Australians. I was really shocked and very happy,” Haider told reporters after the end of the day’s play.
On keeping to pacer Mitchell Johnson, one of world’s leading fast bowlers, the 27-year-old said: "It hurt me, see (shows the red marks on his fingers and palms). He is a very speedy fast bowler. It was the first time I've experienced that in my life, 150-plus I think. I learnt many things from that. He is a very good fast bowler.
"It was my first time experiencing so much pace, like Starc and Johnson, they are very speedy bowlers. It is a very big experience in my life. I am feeling very proud and I learnt something from that," the young keeper said on his experience on keeping to some of the best fast bowlers in the word,” he added.
Australians were like brothers
Haider sounded extremely satisfied with the way he was received in the Australian camp. He said: "They were very sportsmanlike, like brothers. It means a lot to me and I will never forget it. I was really impressed with their behaviour. I was very proud to play for Australia. Okay, it was only a warm-up match but I was very proud."
"He was brilliant, he provided a lot of energy even in a trial game sense," Nathan Lyon said of Haider. "He took an absolute screamer of a catch off myself. It can be difficult to take a catch when it bounces so much but he gloved them really well. He should be really happy with himself. I know all the boys are around him in the change room right now and he is enjoying himself that's for sure."
The Rawalpindi-born’s family is back in Pakistan, but his friends came by in numbers to cheer him. As a token of appreciation, Haider was allowed to take home the Australian warm-up jersey he was wearing during the match.