Aqib Javed conscious of dew factor in remaining PSL 2021 matches

ABU DHABI: Pakistan bowling great Aqib Javed said the dew factor will play a role in the upcoming matches taking place in the UAE from tomorrow.

While speaking to Geo News, the Lahore Qalandars head coach termed the late matches of the PSL as the "biggest challenge" for everyone, adding that dew will certainly have an impact on the game.

Excess moisture on the surface turns the ball slippery, posing significant challenges for the bowling side, especially spinners. This is known as the "dew factor" in cricket.

Speaking about the training sessions, Javed said the Qalandars were getting used to the Abu Dhabi conditions. "As far as the heat is concerned, it will not have a big difference on the players. We held a couple of training sessions, they went well," he added.

The former Pakistani pacer said his team was in high spirits, adding that Afghan spinner Rashid Khan's inclusion into the squad will boost the Qalandars' performance.

He said the team had a great combination when the first half of the PSL 2021 was being played. However, he said due to the league's postponement, the combination had been affected a bit.

"However, we will try to give our best performance," he said. "Ferguson, Faulkner and Tim David will hopefully rise to the expectations for the team," added the Qalandars head coach.

He said the Qalandars had tried to cover each base, adding that bowlers such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Rashid Khan, considered among the best in the world when it comes to T20 cricket, were in the squad.

"We also have Mohammad Hafeez and Fakhar Zaman in the batting line-up," he said. "Ben Dunk always makes his presence felt in the team."

He spoke about the Abu Dhabi pitches, adding that they were similar to the ones in Lahore hence the players will not have much difficulty in adjusting to them.

Javed also spoke about the isolation in Lahore, adding that it was tough as there was a lack of fresh air in the hotel rooms. The Qalandars coach said isolating in Abu Dhabi was much better, comparatively but added that maintaining fitness in the hot weather was tough.

"Facing the extreme heat after isolation is the biggest challenge," he said.

The Lahore Qalandars take on the Islamabad United tomorrow at 9:00pm in Abu Dhabi.