'Won't let them enjoy dominance over us': Naseem Shah on bowling to Joe Root, Ben Stokes in Pakistan's first Test against England
Pakistan's 17-year-old pace sensation Naseem Shah has asserted that the Men in Green will not be subjugated by English stalwarts Ben Stokes and Joe Root in the first Test between England and Pakistan.
In an interview with iNews, Naseem Shah was quick to heap praise on the two Englishmen and acknowledged their batting prowess but claimed that his side will not be apprehensive about bowling to them. He said:
“Joe Root and Ben Stokes are two cricketers I rate highly, and it will be great to test myself against them. I respect good players, but I do not fear them. I will show them respect, but I will not let them dominate and I will not think that these guys are really good, world-class cricketers and that I should be concerned or worried about bowling to them.”
I want to leave an impression on English fans: Naseem Shah
Naseem Shah shed light on his ambitions for Pakistan's tour of England and revealed his hopes to leave a mark on the cricketing fraternity:
“I want to leave England this summer having created an impression on the opposition batsmen and with the fans. At the moment, they won’t know who I am, but hopefully, by the end of the tour they will know all about me."
The teenager, who made headlines earlier this year with a hat-trick against Bangladesh, said that it was pivotal to know the opposition inside and out in order to taste success at the highest level. He remarked:
“Learning from your own coaches and team-mates is vital, but I feel that watching the opposition bowlers and learning from them is almost equally as important. I’ll be observing the English bowlers very closely, to see how they bowl in home conditions.”
Naseem Shah also spoke about the admiration and respect he has for James Anderson, praising his impressive tally of 589 wickets in an illustrious career that spans 17 years and counting.