NEWS
Follow UsNaseem Shah hasn’t played red-ball cricket for almost 13 months. The right-arm quick, who last played a Test against Sri Lanka in July 2023, has been named in the Pakistan squad for their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on August 21.
Before that, Naseem will also feature in a four-day match between Pakistan Shaheens and Bangladesh at the Islamabad Club from August 13 to 16.
“I haven’t played red-ball cricket for thirteen months; it’s not easy to play after a long time. International cricket has its own pressure; however, we are training hard for it,” Cricket Pakistan quoted Naseem as saying.
“I know personally that playing an international match after a long time is not easy. After returning from injury, I am gradually increasing the load of bowling spells.”
Regarding his shoulder injury recovery, Naseem said: “As a professional, you must take care of your fitness; no one can be forced to improve their fitness. International athletes are not schoolchildren to be taught fitness.”
Naseem also spoke about the challenges of working with foreign coaches. “There is a language problem with foreign coaches. We need someone to translate the language. It is easier to communicate with the coach in your own language.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan's last few years haven’t been great. They failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and then couldn’t advance past the first round of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.
“We can't deny that we didn't play good cricket. Criticism is part of it, and we must endure it until things improve. This is a good chance to bounce back, play better, and show up as a team. That's what I'm hoping for.”
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.
