I Hope To Make Twenty20 World Cup - Danish Kaneria

Aug 2, 2007 | Danish Kaneria

When the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup is announced soon, I will be hoping that my name will be in there as I would really love to play in that tournament.

I have played a few Twenty20 Cup matches for Essex this season and I’ve enjoyed them, the sold out crowds and the challenge of bowling in what we all know is a batsman’s game. I have taken wickets and know I could do a good job for my country in South Africa. Let us wait and see what happens.

It has been disappointing to miss the last couple of matches with Essex but I was bowling quite a lot of overs and felt I needed a couple of weeks rest and gym work, which has refreshed me. I will make my comeback on Wednesday.

After the World Cup I had a week at home in Karachi but apart from that I have not had much of a break from cricket, mainly because I am the kind of player who likes to be bowling regularly. I like to keep learning and developing my game.

The couple of weeks off allowed me to catch up on some important fitness work and with some huge cricket matches approaching for both Essex and especially Pakistan, with maybe a Twenty20 World Cup and series against South Africa, India and Australia, I wanted to raise my fitness levels.

I have been doing a lot of cardiovascular work like running and cycling, weight training and also a lot of core stability exercises to build my stomach muscles that help to support your back.

The time off also helped my fingers as they were a little sore from bowling a lot of overs this season. It was good to get into the gym and do the kind of dedicated training that you don’t get time for when you are playing constantly.

I was very disappointed to have to sit out two County Championship matches for Essex but my fitness is such an important aspect that I can’t ignore it. I’m now feeling fresh and itching to get back out on the park and amongst the wickets again.

I have 50 Championship wickets after nine matches so far and I’m still aiming to take 100 wickets for the season like Mushtaq Ahmed did last year. I have five matches left so will need an average of ten wickets per match.

I know it’s going to be difficult and I suppose I won’t be helped by all this rain around at a time when you would have expected the wickets to have become drier and more spin-friendly at this time of year but I want to go for it. We are also going for promotion to the First Division so there is plenty to play for.