People's love and support is my incentive to perform, says Fawad Alam

Pakistan’s Test cricketer Fawad Alam has said that the top incentive for his performances is the love and support he is receives from the people of Pakistan.

The 34-year-old batsman scored a superb double-century during the ninth round of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, reaching the milestone of 12,000 first-class runs in the process.

Alam, in a press conference on Thursday, was asked for the umpteenth time about how he feels for not being selected for the national team despite performing consistently.

“Naturally it hurts. But, I am not losing hope. Hope sustains the world and has sustained me as well,” Fawad told media in Karachi.

When asked what motivates him and what keeps him going despite not receiving any positive response from the selectors or the people at the helm of cricket affairs, the Karachi-based batsman mentioned the support he’s receiving.

“All the support I get from people for my performances gives me confidence, and pushes me to do better,” he said.

“People are talking about me. Even this is an incentive for me to perform well,” the batsman added.

When asked about the positive he takes from not being selected, the batsman said that it’s the challenge to do even better in next season.

“I start every season as a new challenge and try to do better than the previous season and that’s my motivation. I also credit my father who has always encouraged me,” Fawad said.

“My job is to perform, and keep performing. It is up to the selectors whether they want to pick me for the national team or not,” he said.

Replying to a question, Fawad added that he is not in a position to question the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on his non-inclusion in the national team.

“I am not a big star player who can go and question the PCB or the selectors, but whenever I have talked to my colleagues, I didn’t find any special reason for keeping me out,” he stated.