Pakistani boy wonder confirmed for Test debut
While most 16-year-olds are awkwardly trying to find their place in the world, Pakistan’s Naseem Shah has officially found his place – and it’s in the cricketing furnace of the Gabba.
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It’s not just the fact that Pakistani fast bowler Naseem Shah is 16 that makes his Test debut at the Gabba on Thursday one of the most remarkable cricket stories of the modern era.
It’s also that his local district, Lower Dir, has, according to him, no proper pitches or cricket facilities, that only two years ago he did not even own a pair of spikes and that his father tried to talk him out of playing cricket at all.
Then there’s the fact that since he first became aware of cricket, Pakistan has not even hosted a Test match given it has been a no-go zone for the five day game since the Lahore bombing of 2009.
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So there was every reason why this robust looking youngster from Pakistan’s wild northwest frontier land should have been one of countless “could-a-been champions’’ lost in a chaotic system through no fault of their own.
Yet somehow, miraculously, Naseem Shah will play a Test tomorrow at the age of 16 years, 277 days the youngest player ever to play a Test in Australia.
It’s a beautiful moment for the game with his teammates marvelling at the courage Naseem displayed to bowl a withering spell against Australia A last week just 24 hours after being informed that his mother had died.
Anti-corruption officials gave Pakistan permission to waive the strict rules regarding mobile phones in dressing rooms to allow Naseem to ring his brothers who urged him to stay with the team and do a little job for his country.
Pakistan pace great Wasim Akram, who will be part of the Fox Cricket commentary team throughout the two-Test series, endorsed the youngsters selection.
“In my opinion if somebody has got pace, somebody has got first-class cricket under his belt, I think he’s ready to bowl,’’ Akram said.
“I played when I was 17, Waqar (Younis) played when he was 17. Naseem is 16 and I reckon he’s ready to play. He’s been through a lot in the last week and a half, as we all know, his mum passed away but he stayed back to represent his country so I wish him all the luck. Exciting times for Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said he had no concerns over the youngster handling the workload issues because he is exceptionally fit.
“When I first saw him I was surprised at the control he had and the pace he had and, on top of all, the temperament and the composure he has is so exciting to see.
“I have captained him five times in first class cricket and he has been fantastic.
“He is opening up. When he first came in he was a bit shy. He lost his mother last week and that was very tough for him but he bowled the next day.’’
Among the most interested observers of the youngster’s progress will be the Australian attack who marvel at how a bowler so young can emerge to such heights so quickly.
Mitchell Starc noted early in the week he was not even bowling at age 16, while Josh Hazlewood was in grade 11 and Pat Cummins was playing second grade in Penrith at the same age.
But Shah was spotted playing provincial cricket at age 14 and sent to Lahore to an academy run by leg-spin great Abdul Qadir, arriving without a set of cricket spikes.
“He came in normal shoes, not even spikes and he bowled a few balls and he was rapid fire so straight away we said “this guy has it,’’ Ali said.
“In two or three years he has covered that distance.’’
Australian captain Tim Paine quipped he did play against some 16-year-olds in grade cricket a week or two ago and that there was no rule that banned players of such a tender age playing for Australia in Tests.