Mike Hesson: “For a young man, he knows his game pretty well. We feel he’s really suited to that middle overs and the death phase. He’s got lots of skills”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Islamabad United head coach Mike Hesson said up-and-coming Pakistan seamer Hunain Shah is best suited to bowling in the middle and death overs.
Hunain, who is the younger brother of Pakistan’s go-to fast bowler Naseem Shah, has started gaining plenty of attention due to his strong performances in domestic cricket.
The 20-year-old was recently in action for Islamabad in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and had a solid campaign, taking eight wickets in 10 matches at an average of 28.12 and an economy rate of 9.50.
Hesson was highly impressed with what he saw from Hunain and knows he can be a major asset for any team.
“For a young man, he knows his game pretty well. We feel he’s really suited to that middle overs and the death phase. He’s got lots of skills,” he said at a press conference.
Islamabad went on to be crowned champions in PSL 9 after beating the Multan Sultans by two wickets in the final.
Hunain was not picked for Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which ended as a 2-2 draw.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan
Non-travelling reserves: Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha