Naseem Shah: “I’m just glad we won’t have to bowl to him! He has the ability to dismantle any attack in no time. He’s as destructive as they come”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan pace bowler Naseem Shah has admitted he is glad he won’t have to bowl to Australia batsman Matthew Short in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Short was drafted by Islamabad United in the Platinum Category for PSL 10, which is set to take place from April 10 to May 25.
Naseem noted that the 29-year-old is “as destructive as they come” since he can “dismantle any attack in no time”.
Short has represented Australia in 14 T20Is and scored 293 runs, which includes a top score of 66, at an average of 22.53 and a strike-rate of 163.68.
In his overall T20 career, he has amassed 2,982 runs in 125 matches, which includes two centuries and 18 fifties, at an average of 26.62 and a strike-rate of 146.46.
Recently, he played for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL) and had a solid season, accumulating 236 runs in seven games, which included a hundred and a half-century, at an average of 33.71 and a strike-rate of 171.01.
“As for Matthew Short, what can I say? I’m just glad we won’t have to bowl to him! He has the ability to dismantle any attack in no time. He’s as destructive as they come, and I think he’ll absolutely love playing at our home ground in Rawalpindi,” Naseem was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Naseem was recently in action in Pakistan’s series against South Africa and took five wickets in three ODIs at an average of 28.
He also featured in the two-Test series, picking up four wickets in one match at an average of 31.50.
However, Naseem did not play in Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which concluded as a 1-1 draw.
He is now involved in the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, after which he will take part in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be held from February 19 to March 9.
In the tri-series, he went wicketless against New Zealand before taking one wicket against South Africa.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
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