Everyone knows, even in domestic cricket, that I bowl yorkers well. But I worked even harder at [yorkers] in the time I had [before the tournament], because I'm coming back from injury. I practiced a lot of target bowling. You could say I spent a whole week just bowling yorkers, so that I made sure I could nail them when the team needed them. Sometimes the execution doesn't go the way you wanted, because in T20 cricket, there can be a lot of pressure, and sometimes the body doesn't respond to it perfectly. But most of the time, when you're prepared well, you're able to execute.

 

In T20s, you try them more at the death. But you'll have seen that whenever I feel the batter isn't expecting one, I will attempt one. It's not as if I've kept them saved for the last two overs. Whenever I feel the batter isn't ready for it, you can bluff the batter and send a yorker in. In the previous two or three matches, you'll see I didn't bowl too many yorkers, because I was getting help from the pitch and the length ball was also a useful option, even at the death. I could have bowled yorkers then, too, but the team plan matters more, and we go according to the team plan and what the captain demands. So I try and execute according to that.

 

In that last Rawalpindiz group match, when I bowled the second last over, I saw the ball was reversing a bit. When the spinners bowled, a lot of boundaries were hit. And when the ball goes into the stands, it hits the chairs or the hard floor directly, because there's no crowd. That can sometimes alter the shape or structure of the ball and that can start assisting you. When Daisy [Mohammad Ali] bowled his over, he was getting lots of reverse…. [After that over] we only had two options: myself or spinners. I spoke to Daisy and the captain [Marnus Labuschagne], and Daisy said the ball was reversing. I said to Marnus, "Then give it to me. If it's reversing, I'm confident I'll be able to get the wicket in this over". We took a chance and we were successful.

 

He's very experienced and knowledgeable. When I bowled and he began to get an idea of what my strengths are - and which balls I can bowl well, or what my stock balls are - he silently observed initially. "From you, I should be able to see clarity," he told me. Because the tournament is short, you know you don't have enough time to work on skills in-season. So it's mindset that we've worked on, rather than skills. And you know how strong Australian cricketers' mindset is.

 

He said that when you first bowl to a batter, you should have your own plan first. That way, you're less likely to run into problems. One thing I've learned from him is when you are running in with the intention of bowling a specific delivery, you need to commit 100% to that ball. The thing bowlers sometimes do is change their mind midway through the delivery stride. That can affect your accuracy. He's instilled in me the idea that I should know the ball I'm bowling at the top of my run-up. Then my mindset and energy will be fully focused on that, and that's when you begin to see more consistent execution.

 

Well, you won't always execute your plan. Sometimes, it's the batter's day. I bowled different deliveries, but he played some good shots, some went to the gaps and it was his day. He was playing beautifully the whole innings, and whatever he was trying was coming off. Even before my over, there were two big overs.

When you win the first ball of an over, be it [as a] batter or bowler, you have a huge chance of dominating your opponent. I went for a boundary first ball, and even though I bowled a good second ball, he got a great shot off [the delivery]. It was a great learning experience for me, around how to stay calm when in such difficult situations.

 

Mindset is very important. I perform well where I think my team trusts me and is depending on me. When you think you're the main bowler of a line-up, it gives you confidence. It makes you understand that the moment you're in is what you've worked for, for months. I enjoy bowling in pressure situations, and I deal with those moments well, which is what I think is a significant reason for me doing well.

 

There's no comparison. Naseem is a role model and inspiration for us. He showed us the way. If he didn't come into cricket, we would probably have been doing something else. As for the auction, I knew I wouldn't be in as high demand because I was unavailable for large parts due to injury, and I only bowled one over in one match at the PSL last year. That makes a comeback difficult, and I was mentally prepared I might not be bought. Ubaid has had a great time in domestic cricket and with the Shaheens (Pakistan A). Naseem, we all know the heights he's reached. Thus it was a bit easier for them. I was out of people's minds because I hadn't played much cricket.

 

We've never really talked about money. Our eldest brother - who's older than Naseem - and our dad take care of running the household. We all live together and in that sense we've never competed at all.

 

Yeah, he follows it more now. A little too much. At the time he didn't know much at all about cricket. But now he's got three sons in the game, so he doesn't miss any match or ball, especially if Naseem is playing. Until the match is over, he doesn't get up for anything.

 

However, as brothers, we often think the less he understands, the better! Because then there'll be more things to worry about for him: worrying about what the pitch is like, and what bowling conditions are. He wants us to do well all the time, and gets upset when we don't. We want him to watch and understand as little cricket as possible to not worry him.