Pakistan coach Misbah-ul-Haq says the best thing about 16-year-old sensation Naseem Shah is his control.
He is only 16 and reeling from his mother's death last week, but Pakistan believe express bowling sensation Naseem Shah can be a match-winner in the opening Test against Australia.
The exciting teenager is on the cusp of selection for the game at the Gabba in Brisbane starting Thursday after impressing with a fiery eight-over spell against Australia A in Perth.
If he makes the grade, Naseem will join a handful of others to debut at 16, including Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar. The youngest-ever Test player listed by Cricinfo was Pakistan's Hasan Raza in 1996, aged just 14, although his date of birth was later disputed. Pakistan have a history of blooding promising players early, accounting for six of the 10 youngest to play Test matches. But Naseem is also carrying the huge extra burden of his mother passing away.
Naseem has only played seven first-class games and while selectors clearly like what they see, how he copes in the heat of battle over five days
against world-class batsmen such as Steve Smith and David Warner remains to be seen.
Seasoned campaigner Smith warned he won't be afraid to exploit Naseem's inexperience if the young gun gets the nod.
Pakistan's squad -- hampered by the retirement this year of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz -- also includes 19-year-old fast bowlers Musa Khan and Shaheen Afridi.
They also have Imran Khan senior, who back in the Test squad for the first time since their Australian tour in 2017, along with the dangerous Mohammad Abbas and prolific leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
