Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah has joined Leicestershire County for the start of the T20 Blast – albeit on a short-term basis – as a replacement for Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq.
Naveen is currently in India after Lucknow Supergiants qualified for the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs.
👋 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐬, @iNaseemShah.
— Leicestershire Foxes 🏏 (@leicsccc) May 23, 2023
We are excited to announce the signing of Pakistan international Naseem Shah on a short-term deal for the start of the Vitality Blast. 🇵🇰🚀
Full story. 👇
🦊#FoxesUnleashed
Naseem arrived in the UK on Tuesday evening and joined his new teammates ahead of Thursday’s T20 opener in Lancashire.
The 20-year-old has so far taken 191 career wickets, including 73 in T20 cricket at an average of 29.75.
“An exceptional talent, Naseem made his first-class appearance at the age of 15, before making his debut for Pakistan at the age of 16 in Brisbane in 2019,” Leicestershire said in a press release. But got 80 wickets.”
“He has also become an integral part of Pakistan’s white ball squad. After making his ODI and T20I debut last August, Naseem has featured for his country on 27 occasions, including Pakistan’s ever-present runner-up finish in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Naseem has previous Vitality Blast experience, taking five for 20 for Gloucestershire during his spell at Bristol last summer. He was also due to join the Welsh Fire for the Hundred that year but withdrew after selection for Pakistan’s ODI series against the Netherlands and the Asia Cup.
Shah was also excited to join the team for a short period.
🤳 𝐀 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐱. 🇵🇰
— Leicestershire Foxes 🏏 (@leicsccc) May 23, 2023
See you soon, @iNaseemShah 🦊 pic.twitter.com/c9ue17OI6U
“I’m really excited to be joining the Foxes for the start of Vitality Blast. I can’t wait to meet my teammates and help Leicestershire win matches,” said the Pakistan pacer.
Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, added: “Naveen’s presence in the IPL play-offs meant we had to make a quick call and we are very excited to have someone of Naseem’s caliber.
“He has proven to be a world-class performer in T20 cricket, and we look forward to seeing him in a Leicestershire shirt soon.”
Mohammad Abbas, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Umar Akmal have also represented Fox in the past.
