Brisbane: Teenage bowling sensation Naseem Shah will become one of the youngest cricketers to play a Test after Pakistan captain Azhar Ali confirmed on Wednesday the 16-year-old will make his debut at the Gabba.
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Shah, who opted to remain on tour after his mother died last week, made the grade for Thursday’s first Test after impressing with an eight-over spell against Australia A in Perth.
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“We are definitely looking to play him — he is bowling really well,” Azhar said ahead of the series opener in Brisbane.
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Only handful of players have made their debut aged 16, including Sachin Tendulkar who went on to become an Indian batting legend.
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The youngest Test player is listed by Cricinfo as Pakistan’s Hasan Raza, who was 14 on his 1996 debut, though his date of birth was later disputed.
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Azhar said he had faith in Shah’s abilities through a high-pressure five-day game.
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“He’s very fit, I have captained him in first-class matches and he has overs under his belt,” he said.
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“I’m sure that he can do that in Test matches as well, I have no doubts in his fitness and his bowling skills.
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“Not many players can reach that standard so early but there are exceptions and he’s one of them,” he added. “We are all looking forward to him having a very successful career.”
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Pakistan have a history of blooding promising players early, accounting for six of the 10 youngest to play Test matches.
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But Naseem, who has only played seven first-class games, is also carrying the huge extra burden of his mother passing away.
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Pakistan great Wasim Akram said if someone was good enough, then age did not come into it.
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“I think it’s a blessing in disguise because when you’re 16-17, you don’t even know what the word pressure means,” Akram told a TV channel. “You just want to go out and play.
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“When I was 17, I didn’t know what pressure meant, I was loving it. I think the same goes for Naseem. When he becomes a star he’ll know what pressure means. At this age he’ll just be raring to go.”
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Pakistan also have two 19-year-old fast bowlers in Musa Khan and Shaheen Afridi and Azhar said they were taking a fearless attitude into the two-match series in Australia.
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“We have the talent to potentially do well here,” he said.
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“We come with fresh faces and a new look to the Test team and we are very confident that if we execute our skills, we have the potential to beat Australia.
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“To do that we have to just keep believing and play with no fear.”
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