Khaleel eyes World Cup spot after international breakthrough

The left-armer hopes to further boost his profile in the upcoming series against the Windies, which he believes is the ideal platform to prove his worth ahead of one-day cricket’s flagship event in England and Wales in 2019.

“It’s good preparation for me for the World Cup,” he said ahead of the first ODI on Sunday. “I want to take as many wickets as I can. It will boost my confidence and I will be under less pressure if I am picked for the World Cup.”

Zaheer Khan mentored Khaleel during his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Delhi Daredevils. “I think I became a better bowler with his advice,” he said.

“I have spent a lot of time with Zaheer bhai during my two-year stint [in the IPL]. We played in different conditions during the IPL and he always kept discussing how to bowl on different surfaces.”

Khaleel recalled the nerves he had before his debut against Hong Kong, in which he took 3/48, and praised the camaraderie of the team: “I was very nervous as my first tournament happened to be a big tournament like the Asia Cup. There was pressure. But after doing well on debut, I felt I could go further.

“I never feel that I’m a junior in the side. [The] seniors support me well. Everyone keeps talking to me.”