Mohammad Wasim: “He has demonstrated with the red ball that he is an attacking option with good pace and controlled swing”
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Pakistan chief selector Mohammad Wasim said pace bowler Naseem Shah is a great “attacking option” as he possesses “good pace and controlled swing”.
Naseem has predominantly played Test cricket for Pakistan and took seven wickets in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka at an average of 25.57.
He recently made his ODI debut in the three-match series against the Netherlands, where he finished with 10 wickets, which included a five-wicket haul in the third ODI, at an average of 11.10.
“He has demonstrated with the red ball that he is an attacking option with good pace and controlled swing,” Wasim was quoted as saying in a press release from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The 19-year-old speedster could play a much bigger role than initially thought in the Asia Cup since frontline seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of the competition with a right knee ligament injury.
Given how Naseem bowled against the Netherlands, it is possible he could be inserted into the playing XI as a replacement for Afridi during the Asia Cup.
The tournament will be held in the UAE from August 27 to September 11.
Afridi will also miss the seven-match T20 series against England, which will be played in Pakistan.
However, he is expected to make his comeback during the T20 tri-series against New Zealand and Bangladesh, which precedes the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Pakistan squad for Asia Cup:Â Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir