Naseem Shah joins SNGPL for the ongoing President's Trophy
Naseem Shah last played a Test in December 2024 • AFP/Getty Images
Naseem Shah has joined Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for the ongoing domestic season and will be available to the team for the third round of the President's Trophy, which commences Thursday. An SNGPL official told Cricinfo that Naseem is available for the remainder of the tournament. The fast bowler was not named in any of the eight teams when the PCB initially announced the department squads.
Abdullah Shafique and Pakistan U-19 captain Farhan Yousaf have also linked up with SNGPL ahead of their match against Markhor IT Solutions in Peshawar.
A large contingent of Pakistan international players have made themselves available for the President's Trophy after the newly introduced central contracts made it mandatory for the players to play domestic first-class matches. Players in categories A (Test specialists) and AB (Test and ODI specialists) are required to play at least six and four domestic first-class matches, respectively, in a season. Those in the BC category, which is for white-ball specialists (ODI and T20I), are required to play at least two first-class matches.
Naseem's last Test appearance was in December 2024 when Pakistan lost to South Africa by two wickets in the first Test in Centurion. He missed the second Test after suffering chest congestion and was dropped from the squad for the subsequent home Tests against West Indies, with Pakistan sticking to their spin-heavy philosophy.
He has since played only one domestic first-class match - for Lahore Region Whites against Islamabad Region in last year's Quaid-e-Azam Trophy - as his selection for the home T20I and ODI series against South Africa limited his further participation.
Naseem will be eager to put his name in contention for the home Tests against Sri Lanka in November and the limited-overs series that precedes them. Pakistan fast bowlers are under scrutiny because of their dwindling speeds and lack of ability to move the new and old ball with control and precision, all the qualities which Naseem possessed when he made his international debut.
SNGPL, the runners-up of the last edition, are currently at the bottom of the points table with a draw and a defeat from their two games.
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