Off-spinner Harkirat Bajwa on why he is ‘better placed’ for second Under 19 World Cup

Using the lessons from 2022, teenage tweaker Harkirat Bajwa is adamant he is much more equipped than the last Under 19 World Cup he went to. Here’s why.

Harkirat Bajwa.

Harkirat Bajwa plans to “take the pressure off” himself when pulls on the Australian colours for the second time next month.

The off-spinner out of Melbourne is making his second Under 19 World Cup appearance in South Africa, following up from his trip to the West Indies in 2022.

He says he will inflict a smaller expectation upon himself this time around.

“I went in with the mindset thinking of all the players that have played in World Cups,” he says.

“Last World Cup I went in thinking ‘oh I have to take a lot of wickets, I have to do this, I have to come out as the best player’, but for me this time around it’s just doing what I can do best and then letting it all happen.

“It’s not making too much stress with ‘I need to take this many wickets, I need to really impress’, for me, it’s just trusting what I do.

“Sometimes you can put too much pressure on yourself in these types of tournaments and overdo it, over complicate it and try and take a wicket every ball.

“This time around for me it’ll be about keeping it simple and following my process.

“I think some people try and become something they’re not, it’s about what you know works for you, I think that’s the key.”

Bajwa bowls during the 2022 Under 19 World Cup

Bajwa says he is “better placed” as a more mature player this World Cup having made trips to England and the West Indies.

Indicative of Bajwa’s progressing maturity is his focus on perfecting the fundamentals.

“I think at that time I had a few variations but you can get carried away thinking about all the variations,” he says.

“I feel this time around I am trusting my stock ball a lot more, trusting my bowling in general a lot more and I have a lot more patience in my bowling.

“I think bowling to high-quality batsmen more regularly has given me more confidence, so going into the World Cup I feel a lot better.”

Bajwa thinks The Albert Ground is helping him. Picture: CHRIS THOMAS

Making himself a regular in Melbourne’s First XI, Bajwa is now bowling to the best batters on the best batting track in Victoria.

While it’s been a difficult time for bowlers at The Albert Ground this summer, Bajwa is confident it’s the best place for him to improve as a spinner.

“The Albert has been pretty flat but you always have to look at the positives,” he says.

“For me, if you’re bowling at the Albert every weekend it makes you improve as a bowler because if you’re not at your best you’re going to get hurt and not going to get wickets.

“It pushes you into a corner where you have to bowl well and have to improve – it’s been a good learning experience for me.

“As a spinner you’re expected to do well when it’s turning, but when it’s not I think that’s when it forces to you to bowl well and improve.”

Australia starts its World Cup campaign with Namibia on January 14.