Naseem Shah

Naseem Shah is a Pakistani fast bowler who became the youngest player in cricket history to take a Test hat-trick. Born on 15 February 2003 in Lower Dir, he was fast-tracked into the national team as a teenager and immediately impressed with his raw pace.

Career

Naseem made his Test debut in 2019 at age 16, and in the same year took a hat-trick against Bangladesh — breaking a record that had stood for over a century. He quickly established himself in the Test side, with memorable spells in England and Australia. He also became a vital white-ball bowler, famous for his nerveless final-over heroics — most notably hitting the winning runs against Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup after being promoted up the order.

His career has been interrupted by injury, including a shoulder problem that ruled him out of the 2023 World Cup, but he returned as a senior member of Pakistan's attack and has been a regular in the T20 and Test sides, including the 2024 T20 World Cup campaign.

Legacy

Naseem Shah is regarded as the jewel of Pakistan's young pace battery, combining express pace with remarkable maturity. At 21, he has already become a central figure of the national team and a symbol of the next generation of Pakistani fast bowling.