Naseem Shah: “Even in school during classes, I would be daydreaming about bowling, thinking about bowling fast, thinking when is this lesson going to end, so that I can get out of here and go and play cricket”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has revealed that he used to daydream about bowling fast in school.
Naseem, 17, holds the record of being the second-youngest bowler to take a five-for and the youngest to claim a hat-trick in Test cricket.
Most recently, he represented the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and took five wickets in six matches at an average of 32.40.
However, the teenager recalled how his parents initially didn’t want him to become a cricketer and instead urged him to focus on his studies.
But, the draw of playing cricket for Pakistan proved too addictive for Naseem, who proceeded to work tremendously hard to pursue his dream and ultimately make his international debut last year.
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“Nothing in life comes easy. I come from a very humble background and my parents always taught me that hard work pays off and when you stop working hard, that’s when things go wrong,” he told PakPassion. “There were no cricket grounds near where I lived, and to pass the time I just played tape-ball cricket against the older guys who lived near me.
“But I was cricket-mad and couldn’t get cricket out of my mind at any time. Even in school during classes, I would be daydreaming about bowling, thinking about bowling fast, thinking when is this lesson going to end, so that I can get out of here and go and play cricket.
“There was nobody in my family who played cricket or understood the game, so it was very difficult to convince my family that I wanted to pursue a career in cricket and that it was the right thing to do. My parents would deter me from playing cricket and would implore to me to study and forget about a career in cricket, but I didn’t listen to them and I was determined that I was going to follow my dream of playing cricket professionally.
“After much debate and convincing my family, I eventually came to Lahore and faced some tough days, some very difficult times where I thought my dream was going to be shattered and I would go home embarrassed and defeated. There were quite a few occasions where I thought my parents were right and my dream of playing cricket professionally was not going to happen. But I never lost heart, I never gave up, I kept going and eventually, my dream came true.
“Even at such a young age, I have learnt that you should never forget those difficult days, those tough times as they are the ones that will stand you in good stead for the future.”
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