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Peshawar: Excellent technique, a good eye, backed by timing and most importantly, sound temperament. Yasir Hameed is indeed very special. No wonder Inzamam-ul-Haq thinks he is the future of Pakistan cricket.

Woh hamari batting ka sarmaya (future) hai, the Pakistan skipper said.
The Pakistan opener, who now appears to be a thorn in the Indians flesh, crafted a stylish 98 to fashion Pakistans four-wicket win against India at the Arbab Niaz Stadium yesterday.

This, after scoring a classy 86 at Rawalpindi. Hameed started off tentatively, but once he got going, he was as elegant as they come.
Irfan Pathan was made to pay as Hameed drove and cut him effortlessly and he bailed out the home team from a precarious position.

It was a seaming wicket. Even Sourav Ganguly was able to do something with the ball, said Hameed.

The 26-year-old made a phenomenal start to his career when he notched up hundreds in both innings on his debut Test against Bangladesh last year only the second batsman in cricket history to do so.

He dedicated his innings to his father, who died a few months before he donned the green cap for the first time. Perhaps being the eldest in the family has made him more responsible in his approach towards batting.

I always look to play positively throughout my innings, said Hameed, who unlike other batsmen in his side, does not believe in hammering the cover off the ball.

His 98 off 116 balls was spiced with 14 boundaries. A hundred on a difficult wicket he richly deserved. But it was not to be.

Pathan bowled a slower one and Hameed, perhaps playing the only bad shot of his innings, offered Yuvraj Singh a simple chance at point.

Yeh to Allah ki marzi thi, was all he said on missing out on a memorable ton in front of his home crowd.

Need to be clinical

India skipper Sourav Ganguly felt the toss was a crucial factor in yesterdays game. It was a good toss to win as the wicket had something in it for the bowlers early on, Ganguly said.

Coach John Wright was all praise for the opposition. You have to give credit to the opposition. They really played well, he said.

However, Wright felt his sides bowling showed some improvement. It was an improved bowling performance. But we need to be more clinical in finishing close matches, he said.