'Love for country' fueled Ahmed Shehzad's progress in cricket

Pakistan cricket team opener Ahmed Shehzad has insisted that it was his 'love for playing for his nation' that kept him going despite suffering a head injury last year that left the batsman scared.

Shehzad was hit by New Zealand seamer Corey Anderson's bouncer in the first Test in Abu Dhabi in November last year, barely a fortnight before the tragic death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes's passing. Shehzad claimed that Hughes' passing had left him 'bewildered and shocked'. He said that it was 'scary', adding that it 'left him in fear' besides saying 'thanks to Almighty Allah for saving him', Sport24 reported.

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Shehzad claimed that the injury was still being 'monitored'. He said that the 'prime thing for him was to play for his country'. He claimed that 'cricket is his passion and he never thought about his life doing something else but cricket'. He added playing for Pakistan is a 'huge honour' for him and would remain whether he is playing or not.

He signed off that his family and fans helped him overcome the injury scare especially after Hughes' tragic passing.