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Cricket PlayersIf England treat me like a kid, it’ll be their big loss: Pakistan’s 17-yr-old pacer Naseem Shah
“If they treat me like a small kid, it will be their big loss,” Shah told reporters. “Age doesn’t matter, it’s my bowling that matters -- so they need to take me seriously.”
Naseem Shah, Pakistan’s 17-year-old fast-bowler, on Wednesday proved that his words are sharp as his bowling when he sent out a warning to England cricketers ahead of their Test series. Naseem Shah, who holds the world record for the youngest cricketer to claim a five-wicket haul in Test cricket, said England should not to underestimate him in the upcoming Test series, and it will be a “big loss” if they do so.
“If they treat me like a small kid, it will be their big loss,” Shah told reporters. “Age doesn’t matter, it’s my bowling that matters -- so they need to take me seriously.”
Shah who had made his debut against Australia last year will be Pakistan’s one of key bowlers in the three-match Test series in England starting August 5.
During December’s series against Sri Lanka, he became the youngest fast bowler to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket, at age 16 years and 311 days.
Shah, who has taken 13 wickets in 4 Tests so far, said that while he only knows the name of one England player -- skipper Joe Root.
Pakistan’s squad is set to fly to England at the end of the month and will spend 14 days in mandatory quarantine before starting practice in “bio-secure” facilities.
Shah is likely to pair with Shaheen Shah Afridi, the 6-foot, 6-inch paceman who now plays for Pakistan in all three cricketing formats since making his debut in 2018.
(With AFP inputs)
