Sharma ready for WT20 challenge

India’s star pace bowler, Ishant Sharma says that being part of the underperforming Kolkata side taught him important lessons which will help him prepare for next month’s ICC World Twenty20 event to be held in England.

Sharing the new ball with left-arm pacer and senior partner Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma has been very instrumental up-front claiming big wickets and playing a crucial role in India’s recent successful run.

He has already featured in a tri-series win in Australia in 2008 and was highly impressive in the Test series troubling the Australian skipper Ricky Ponting time and again. He was also the leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets in the home Test series against Australia and was rightly adjudged Man of the Tournament. He was part of the ODI series win in Sri Lanka and also against England at home.

However, the fast bowler is still to feature in an ICC event and with the ICC World Twenty20 2009 about to commence in less than 15 days, the Delhi lad is looking forward to the big opportunity as India is the defending T20 champions.

“I have never been part of any World Cup, and I am really looking forward to it. Conditions in England will be helpful for bowlers and I want to make it memorable for myself. It’s a huge honour to go in as the defending champions,” Sharma told the Indian Express.

Ishant Sharma represented Kolkata in the IPL but the side performed badly finishing at the bottom of the table. He picked up 11 wickets from as many games at an economy rate of 6.90.

Taking stock of his performance in South Africa, the young pacer feels that he needs to add yorkers and slower balls to his armoury, in order to be more effective in England.

"I really have to take care of my economy rate and then I need to work on variations," said the lanky paceman.

“In T20, you need to have a good yorker and different kinds of slower balls. Also, I am looking to become an impact bowler because nothing else puts the opposing team back like losing early wickets,” he added.