Former Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar was one of the most feared bowlers to ever play the game. He used to bowl with aggression and passion which made the batsman nervous. Akhtar believes 17-year-old sensation Naseem Shah can replicate his "bowling attitude and passion" among the current crop of Pakistan players.
"Among the present lot, I feel Naseem Shah can replicate my bowling attitude and passion. Naseem and I would have made a fine pair with the same attacking attitude," Akhtar said.
The premium fast bowler of his times, Akhtar was asked to form a dream pair both from the list of former bowlers and the current lot representing Pakistan in red-ball cricket in the Digital Pairs series launched by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Naseem has made a mark in Pakistan cricket instantly with his first match and is the youngest to pick a hat-trick in Test cricket. He thanked Shoaib for choosing him as his bowling partner.
"Delighted to get Shoaib Akhtar's recognition following acknowledgement by Wasim Akram. I want to thank Shoaib for nominating me as his bowling partner, these bowlers were my idols and getting recognised by them is nothing short of a big honour for me," said Naseem.
"I agree that attitude and aggression are the keys to success for a fast bowler, I hope that I would live up to Shoaib's expectations of me," he added.
Among former bowlers, Akhtar picked Pakistan's World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan as his bowler partner. "If I pick a former fast bowler, I feel I would have been very fortunate if I would have bowled with Imran Khan with both of us at the peak of our bowling careers. If we would have bowled together we would have had the same mindset of attacking the stumps relentlessly."
