After having played all 14 games of Vitality Blast, representing Leicestershire, Naveen-ul-Haq has accumulated 26 wickets at a strike rate of just over 12 leaving the rest behind by a significant margin. This phenomenal run of form with the ball has plunked Haq right on top of the wicket taker’s chart.
Transiting from the dusty, dry & low Asian wickets, Naveen adapted nicely into alien conditions of the UK. Although it must have been a daunting challenge for someone like Naveen who has polished his white cherry skills back in Kabul all these years.
Naveen adapted quickly to English conditions
But with every passing game, he slowly began to understand the conditions & that showed up in his recent performances. His wicket-taking spree continued & there was a gradual improvement in his overall economic rate too.
Unfortunately, Naveen misses out on a potential Hundred contract after so many international dropouts from the event. Critics have been arguing that his economy is slightly on the higher side. Nevertheless, considering this was his first season in the UK, it is expected that the more he plays, will get better in terms of the economy too.
Naveen leaves Vitality Blast as the Leading Wicket Taker
Interestingly, Naveen has taken wickets in each & every innings for the Foxes. Had he been chosen as a replacement pick in The Hundred, he wouldn’t had to quarantine apart from being on top of his form. Statistically, pros are weighing out the cons but this is how it is.
On the broader perspective, one expects that he would like to take this experience into the forthcoming T20 world cup & ICC super league games to add value to the Afghan national side. Surely he is going to come back into the Blast next year & hopefully with a Hundred contract, much to our delight.