In Pakistan there is a saying, you shake a tree and a quartet of fast bowlers would fall. In the Shah household in the Jandol Mayar area of the Lower Dir district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, the adage almost became a reality.
Naeem, fourth among the Shah brothers, played the tape ball cricket tournament but he was more focused on the promise that he made to his mother that he would become a doctor. He has kept his promise, he is a doctor now. But three of his younger siblings – Naseem Shah, Hunain Shah and Ubaid Shah – are scaring the batsmen with their pace.
Naseem, 20, has already made his mark in international cricket. 19-year-old Hunain is making waves in Pakistan’s domestic cricket, while Ubaid, 17, is part of the Pakistan U-19 World Cup squad that is being tipped to carry on the country’s history of fast bowling and could become its newest hero.
On Saturday, Ubaid Shah was the game-changer for Pakistan in a see-saw contest as he registered a brilliant five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in a low-scoring thriller, carrying his side into the semifinals. His match-winning 5/44 took his tally at the U19 World Cup to 17 wickets in five matches at an average of 10.52 and strike rate of 15.52.