Gloucestershire Cricket sign exciting young pace bowler Shah
Pakistani teenager Naseem Shah made his international debut at just 16
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club has signed one of the sport's most exciting young pace bowlers for the upcoming season.
Eighteen-year-old Naseem Shah is considered a rising star of the international game, having made his debut for Pakistan in 2019 at the age of just 16.
He will be available to play in all formats of cricket for Gloucestershire up until the end of the T20 Vitality Blast tournament group stages.
However, if Shah is called up for international duty from June onwards, he will be released back to Pakistan.
In a statement Naseem Shah said: "I'm extremely happy to be joining Gloucestershire and can’t wait to experience playing in English cricket for the first time.
"I’m excited for what we can achieve as a team next season and will use all my skills to help Gloucestershire challenge for silverware across all formats.”
Shah has already played nine test matches for his country since making his debut against Australia in 2019, in a match that saw him claim the wicket of David Warner.
Just a month after making his debut, Shah became the second youngest player in history to take a five-wicket haul in a single innings, with 5/31 against Sri Lanka.
In the summer of 2020 Shah featured in Pakistan's test squad for a tour of England, taking one wicket in the first test when he dismissed Ollie Pope at Old Trafford.
In the second innings he took the wicket of England captain Joe Root, before doing the same again in the third test.
Steve Snell, Performance Director at Gloucestershire Cricket, said: “Naseem Shah is a fantastic talent and we’re thrilled that he’s decided to come and join us for next season.
"Naseem will bring further depth to our pace bowling department and will provide exciting competition for places in our seam bowling ranks.
"I have heard fantastic things about Naseem’s attitude and his willingness to stand up in the tough moments in games.
"I’ve got no doubt that Naseem, with the quality he has, will give us a great chance of achieving success.”