Naseem Shah shrugs off engagement rumours

LEICESTER: Pakistan's young pace sensation Naseem Shah — who is currently playing at Britain's T20 Vitality Blast — has brushed aside the rumours about his purported engagement.

The 20-year-old has been making headlines since he came to prominence for his winning couple of sixes at the Asia Cup semi-final against Afghanistan last year. Fans are eager to know about Shah and especially about his relationship status due to rumours that first emerged after a viral video involving Indian model and actress Urvashi Rautella.

However, the paceman like always, has shrugged off any such rumours that he has tied the knot with someone.

“All those rumours of my engagement are absolutely untrue as nothing like that happened. And I don’t understand why everyone is so interested in my engagement or marriage. Why are people, instead of focusing on players' performance in cricket, all of a sudden focused on their marriages and engagements? Just watch us play cricket and enjoy, getting married is my personal matter and it will take place when it’s destined to happen,” he told Geo News in an exclusive interview.

Shedding light on his stint at the T20 Vitality Blast, the youngster said that he has already started his preparations for the upcoming ICC World Cup in October but he is also mindful of the advice given by his physios on how to manage his workload.

Shah has played in four matches, so far, for Leicestershire Foxes in the ongoing T20 Blast. The right arm has bowled with great accuracy and has picked up three wickets in four matches while conceding just 112 runs in total at an impressive economy of just 7.46 runs per over.

“This short stint with Leicestershire Foxes was amazing. Last year, I played quite a lot of cricket in all formats and also in the county. I was not permitted by my physio to play gain for a full season to manage my workload,” Shah said.

“I got this opportunity to play just a few games which was a good experience and a little change of weather too. And I’m happy with my performance.

“I’m trying to focus on whatever chances of playing cricket I’m going to get including the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka. Soon I will be travelling back to Pakistan to take part in the special cricket camp set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board at National Cricket Academy in Lahore so hopefully by the time World Cup takes place we will be fully prepared.”

Shah said that although he doesn’t feel like competing with any fellow Pakistani pacer but admitted there is tough competition in the fast-bowling department.

“It’s good for Pakistan cricket that we have such a tough but healthy competition in the fast-bowling department," Shah said, adding that  Pakistan had an abundance of fast-bowling talent hence the more competitors there are the harder one has to work.

"Although I don’t have competition with any of my colleagues as all I try is to do better and work harder every time. But as far as a partnership is concerned, whoever is bowling with me in the team I always try to enjoy and learn from that partnership so I like bowling with all of them,” he added.