Barkat sees benefit of Sri Lanka experience
New Hong Kong captain Waqas Barkat is delighted with the improvement to his game after a month's stay in Sri Lanka which ends on Tuesday.
Barkat, who will lead the side on a trip to Papua New Guinea in the absence of Jamie Atkinson, has for three weeks played in the highly competitive Sri Lankan Division One under-23 championship, playing for the Chilaw Marians.
'It has been an eye-opening experience for me. It is all about cricket ... and I have been living and breathing the game,' Barkat said. 'I have learned so much in the past few weeks and I know that my game has improved hugely.'
He leads Hong Kong Cricket Association's plans to place players in competitive leagues around the world. Two others - Nizakat Khan and Aizaz Khan - were expected to join Barkat but those plans fell through due to personal reasons.
Primarily a wicket-keeper-batsman, Barkat was advised by national coach Charlie Burke to try spin and has revelled in his new-found role as a leg-spinner, taking wickets against opponents who play spin well.
'We have a number of wicketkeepers in Hong Kong, players like Jamie [Atkinson] and Mark [Ferguson] so Charlie told me to try out as a spinner,' Barkat said.
'It has been good here. In my first game I took a match haul of nine wickets, five in the first innings and four in the second. I think I can be a useful spinner for Hong Kong.'
The under-23 tournament, comprises 20 teams in two divisions, with Barkat's side competing in the top division.
Matches are played over three days and in his first three games, Barkat, who was opening the batting, made three half-centuries with a top score of 83.
'It is a world of a difference here. For starters we hardly play three-day cricket in Hong Kong so you have to learn how to structure your innings,' he said.
'Also the quality of bowling and fielding is far better than what I would be up against in the Sunday League. You learn to play smart cricket.'
With Nizakat Khan stepping down as vice-captain to concentrate on his own game, the Hong Kong selectors have decided that Barkat should be groomed for the leadership role.
With Atkinson unavailable for the PNG visit, the captaincy has been thrust on Barkat's young shoulders. He made his Hong Kong debut as a teenager at the 2008 Asia Cup.
'My role has changed over the years,' he said.
'Charlie wants me to bat as an opener and I have managed to do that quite successfully in a tough environment here. Hopefully I can continue to do well in the future.'
