Naseem Shah Reflects On Facing Virat Kohli In T20I Debut & The 'Pressure' Of Playing Against India

On his T20I debut against India in the 2022 T20 Asia Cup in Dubai, Pakistani fast-bowler Naseem Shah shared his perspective on facing superstar batter Virat Kohli, describing it as a positive experience.

Currently recuperating from a shoulder injury sustained in the 2023 Asia Cup, sidelining him from the 2023 ODI World Cup, 21-year-old Naseem Shah is gearing up for his return in the 2024 season of the Pakistan Super League. He is slated to play for Islamabad United in the upcoming season.

While discussing his T20I debut against India on the Islamabad United Podcast, Naseem Shah expressed positive recollections, emphasising that his prior experiences in Tests and ODIs assisted him in handling the pressure of such a significant match. Naseem made a notable impact in his T20I debut by taking the wickets of KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav.

“I have good memories of my T20I debut against India. India versus Pakistan is the most important match when it comes to the crowds and intensity on the field and that was my debut match. I was naturally a bit nervous since it was my debut. But the good thing for me was that I had played a lot of cricket before, I had played Tests and ODIs, which helped me,” Naseem said.

Naseem Shah further shared his strategic approach against Virat Kohli during his T20I debut, describing the encounter as beneficial in learning to manage pressure early in his career. Kohli accumulated 35 runs off 34 balls as India secured a 5-run victory over Pakistan in Dubai on Naseem's debut.

“When Virat Kohli came in to bat, I thought he would go hard. So I bowled an in-swinger hoping that it might catch his pad but he let it go. The next delivery I bowled an out-swinger, caught the edge but yeah, the catch got dropped. But it was a good experience because when you make your debut against a big team and under so much pressure then you get a margin in other matches,” he added.

Discussing the intensity of India versus Pakistan matches, Naseem Shah disclosed that the pressure was so immense during their encounter in the 2022 T20 World Cup that he couldn't hear the voice of then-captain Babar Azam, who was standing next to him. The match resulted in India winning by 4 wickets, marked by Virat Kohli's exceptional performance in T20I cricket.

“I remember the match against India in Melbourne, I couldn't hear Babar's voice despite him standing next to me. That is how loud it was. The crowds focus on each and every ball. So it's obvious that pressure would be there if there is so much focus on this game,” Naseem concluded.

Naseem Shah has transferred to Islamabad United from Quetta Gladiators for the 2024 PSL season. He is set to showcase his skills in the match against Lahore Qalandars scheduled for Saturday, February 17.