Guest: NASEEM SHAH (CRICKETER)
HOST: IMRAN KHAN
#naseemshah #imrankhan #arypodcast #podcast
HOST: IMRAN KHAN
#naseemshah #imrankhan #arypodcast #podcast
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00In the first PSL, the injury I had was such that all the doctors told me that my cricket is very difficult because I had four fractures in my back.
00:11I always say that my mother gets a lot of credit for that.
00:14Which are the three most favorite wickets that you have played?
00:18One is Williamson.
00:19The second is when I outed Smith in Test Cricket.
00:25I still remember this one.
00:27As a bowling group, do you have an added burden?
00:30The world is saying that we are a dream attack, so we have to deliver.
00:33When you are given a responsibility, the whole world thinks you are the best and then you have to do it.
00:50Assalam-o-Alaikum, welcome back to ARY Podcast.
00:53You are watching a special series and I have with me the Pakistan team's star fast bowler, Naseem Shah.
00:58Naseem, welcome to the show. How are you?
01:00Alhamdulillah, I am absolutely fine. You tell me, how are you?
01:03I am absolutely fine. Tell me, are you fully prepared to go?
01:06I am fully prepared. I think there will be enough practices, so I think I am all ready.
01:15And what is your routine before going? Do you look after the housework? Do you spend time with friends?
01:21Or do you have commercial engagements?
01:23The last two days are the most difficult. I have to do the packing.
01:27I have to do a lot of things because it is a long tour, 2-3 months.
01:31So, packing is the most difficult thing for me in the last day.
01:39And then there is training as well.
01:41So, I think I will have to do some packing and packing.
01:45And the rest is ready.
01:47And do you have any anxiety about travel? How do you spend your flight time?
01:50Honestly, I don't like long flights. I don't get enough sleep from the plane.
01:57And I don't like travelling by plane. I get suffocated.
02:05But it is obvious that I have travelled a lot, so it has become a habit.
02:13But honestly, I don't like travelling.
02:16You have just won a championship. You have won PSL from Islamabad United.
02:21And you have won a very strong PSL. You have won a lot of intense pressure matches.
02:25How much does it help a player's mindset in another big event?
02:30Obviously, the World Cup is bigger than the PSL.
02:32But how much does it help to take the champion mindset forward?
02:36Obviously, the World Cup is a very big event.
02:41And it is obvious that the world's best teams and best players compete there.
02:50And when you talk about the champion mindset,
02:53it is like when you play big matches,
02:57there is a pressure in the final.
03:01And when you play and win, and become the champion,
03:05it helps you a lot.
03:08Because you remain positive.
03:12And your mindset remains positive.
03:15And you are not under the pressure of the final.
03:17Obviously, the World Cup is a big event.
03:19But yes, it helps you a lot to handle the pressure.
03:26Naseem, I would like to take you back to the 2022 T20 World Cup.
03:31Pakistan played the final.
03:33You were very close to winning, but you couldn't win.
03:36And in that final, you expelled one of the best spells of your career.
03:40You were a little unlucky.
03:42What is the fundamental difference between then's Naseem Shah and today's Naseem Shah?
03:48I think the difference is that I was two years younger.
03:52Now I am two years older.
03:54But there is nothing special.
03:56Day by day, you keep learning.
04:00As a human, you keep improving yourself.
04:04You keep improving yourself to become a better person.
04:07And apart from that, you keep improving yourself in cricket.
04:11And after two years, I feel I have improved a lot.
04:17My fitness and skills have improved a lot.
04:25Two years is not a short time.
04:27You have improved a lot.
04:29And you keep improving yourself.
04:31I feel I have improved a lot.
04:34I am sure you have been asked this a lot of times.
04:38Injury is not an easy time.
04:40Did you have any objective in mind at that time to inspire yourself?
04:44Did you motivate yourself so that it would have been easier to spend time?
04:48From what it would have been otherwise?
04:50I had only one thought in my mind that this time will pass.
04:55Because in hard times, I always believe that when you get everything you want,
05:06you get a lot of success in life and you forget a lot of things.
05:12Ever since I have come to cricket, I have been in shock.
05:18And when I face challenges, I know that Allah is going to give me something big and make me strong.
05:27Because I think that in all the success you get,
05:33you feel that you are succeeding and everything is going well.
05:39But I think that when you get such a setback in life,
05:44you learn a lot of things from it and you become strong.
05:48And that also increases your thinking.
05:50Because fighting that thing is such a thing that you can stop your life,
05:56you can give up that it is difficult to play cricket in the future.
06:00And it is a very tough time.
06:03It is very easy to tell that you have told it in a few words.
06:06But how does it happen every day?
06:08How do you spend without cricket?
06:10You know, there are a lot of difficulties in many things.
06:14But after that, when Allah gives you things,
06:18I think that it is the hard work at that time and your thoughts at that time.
06:22Because I think that Allah sees every moment of yours that what do you do?
06:27What do you think?
06:28What do you do at this time?
06:29Some people are disappointed and disappointment is also a sin.
06:32So when such a time comes in your life,
06:34then at that time your real test is that where do you want to go now?
06:38Do you want to become bigger or do you want to stop there?
06:41So whenever I fight that thing or call it positive,
06:47then Allah has given me a lot.
06:49After that, I have done such a performance that I myself do not believe that where did it come from?
06:55So it happens that you have worked hard at that time,
06:58and Allah sees it and Allah definitely rewards it.
07:01Naseem, when you were an emerging cricketer in PSL for Quetta,
07:04then once I sat with you,
07:06then you told me that your family has played a big role in the success of cricket,
07:11but the family does not consider cricket as a sport.
07:15Tell me, when the time of injury came,
07:17how critical was the support of the family for you?
07:20See, in the family, it is obvious that for your parents,
07:24especially you, no matter how big you become a star,
07:29and whatever you become,
07:33you are a small child for them.
07:35So they care about your health,
07:37that our child should be fine, healthy, happy.
07:42This is what they want.
07:44So it is obvious that if you go back,
07:47when you are talking about the first PSL,
07:50the injury that I had was such that all the doctors told me,
07:54that now your cricket is very difficult,
07:57because you have four fractures in your back.
07:59So I always say that my mother gets a lot of credit for that,
08:05because like a small child,
08:09they told me to leave everything,
08:11so that your pain ends.
08:13At that time, neither I nor they knew that I would play cricket again or not,
08:17they don't even have the idea of cricket.
08:19But this was so that their support,
08:23and because of this,
08:25your pain should end somehow,
08:27leave cricket,
08:29cricket will keep coming.
08:31So that support is very important.
08:33If that support was not there,
08:35their prayers, their support,
08:37all their things, then I think I would have given up too.
08:40And maybe I would never play cricket again.
08:43But it is obvious,
08:45when you talk about your family,
08:47your parents support you at this time,
08:49because for them,
08:51whether you are successful or not,
08:53whatever it is,
08:55you are like a small child for them,
08:57just like they raised you,
08:59you are for them.
09:01The cricketers are later,
09:03and the family is first.
09:05Who is your go-to person in cricket?
09:07When you came here from Dhir,
09:09you trained with Salman Qadir,
09:11who is Qadir's son.
09:13Is he still your go-to mentor in cricket?
09:15Who is he,
09:17with whom you keep connecting?
09:19Just to disconnect from this side,
09:21but also understand,
09:23what is going right in my game,
09:25what is not going right.
09:27Absolutely.
09:29I consider it a blessing that
09:31I think it is only because of my parents.
09:33I myself don't consider myself
09:35such a good person.
09:37The good people I meet,
09:39the good companies Allah gives me,
09:41because
09:43the prayers my parents
09:45make for me,
09:47because of their prayers,
09:49Allah gives me such companies,
09:51that I am saved from many such things,
09:53which later I think that
09:55Allah has sent me
09:57as an angel.
09:59So this is a blessing in your life.
10:01When I was young,
10:03I came here. Obviously,
10:05you meet someone,
10:07you are 12 years old,
10:09you can meet good people,
10:11who will take you on the right path.
10:13You don't have so much
10:15awareness of your life,
10:17that what should I do,
10:19what is better for me.
10:21Whatever you have, it is there,
10:23but those who give you the right advice in life,
10:25who take you on the right track,
10:27they are such people in your life,
10:29who are made by Allah.
10:31So,
10:33I met Salman Qadir,
10:35he told me about
10:37Test cricket,
10:39that you can play,
10:41and I remember,
10:43when he saw me for the first time,
10:45I bowled a couple of balls,
10:47and he said,
10:49you can still play first class,
10:51if you have the talent.
10:53And if you want to play in Pakistan,
10:55you will have to work a little hard,
10:57because Allah has given you so much talent.
10:59And I remember,
11:01he congratulated me,
11:03when I played Test cricket,
11:05I always consider him
11:07as my guru,
11:09in cricket,
11:11because
11:13when I came to NCA,
11:15he told me
11:17about the real life of cricket,
11:19the care,
11:21at that time,
11:23I couldn't understand,
11:25what he was saying,
11:27but now I understand,
11:29what he told me at that time,
11:31and I remember,
11:33how he supported me,
11:35when I was playing with Quetta Gladiators,
11:37he told me,
11:39that I should play somehow,
11:41and I said no,
11:43he cared me a lot,
11:45and he always told me,
11:47when there were
11:49U-16, U-19 tour,
11:51he used to tell me,
11:53at that time,
11:55you are bowling at 2 o'clock,
11:57and you have a red ball,
11:59it's been so many hours,
12:01how will you use the ball,
12:03how will you use the crease,
12:05I didn't understand,
12:07but when you play internationally,
12:09and all these situations come in front of you,
12:11then you understand,
12:13at that time,
12:15he was giving me a lot of benefit,
12:17in the morning,
12:19he used to come at 10 o'clock,
12:21and tell me,
12:23now it's 10 o'clock,
12:25the pitch is like this,
12:27how will you bowl,
12:29early on,
12:31use the pitch,
12:33where there is no seaming,
12:35how to use the crease,
12:37how to reverse,
12:39I think,
12:41there are many people,
12:43but thanks to Allah,
12:45Allah has given me a good company,
12:47because of which I am on a good track.
12:49The knowledge that Mudipa gave you,
12:51Salman Bhai gave you,
12:53do you pass it on to Hunain and Ubaid,
12:55or cricket is their responsibility,
12:57or do you tell them off-field things?
12:59Cricket is such a thing,
13:01that you learn it
13:03from playing on the ground,
13:05from experience,
13:07whatever you play, you experience it,
13:09but I always tell them,
13:11that whatever you do,
13:13whatever you do,
13:15these names keep coming together,
13:17this is a part of our culture,
13:19and if you do good,
13:21then I will feel good,
13:23if you do bad,
13:25then I will feel bad,
13:27this is an obvious thing,
13:29my name is associated with you,
13:31and the whole of Pakistan,
13:33people see that thing,
13:35so I think,
13:37I focus more on that thing,
13:39that whatever I have learned in life,
13:41and I am taking my things right,
13:43so there is no compromise on those things,
13:45that take those things right,
13:47rest of the cricket,
13:49their hard work,
13:51their fate,
13:53and if they keep playing,
13:55they will keep getting experience,
13:57but rest of the things,
13:59I talk to them more,
14:01that if I am taking my life,
14:03my discipline, my things right,
14:05then they also see my things,
14:07because obviously,
14:09if they grow up with me,
14:11they know my whole process,
14:13so they have an advantage,
14:15that by seeing those things,
14:17they keep improving themselves.
14:19Naseem, as a bowler,
14:21obviously you are part of a bowling attack,
14:23which in the world, people will call
14:25a dream bowling attack,
14:27you are there, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shafridi,
14:29Mohammad Amir, just to name a few,
14:31do you think,
14:33as a bowling group,
14:35there is an added burden on you,
14:37that now the world is saying,
14:39that we are a dream attack,
14:41so we have to deliver,
14:43or you don't keep these things in mind?
14:45See, this is an obvious thing,
14:47that when the whole world
14:49talks about you,
14:51and then you say,
14:53that we listen to those things,
14:55and ignore them,
14:57very well,
14:59I don't think
15:01this is possible,
15:03when the responsibility comes on you,
15:05the whole world considers you the best,
15:07then you have to do it,
15:09I mean, you try your best,
15:11that the people who
15:13have expectations from us,
15:15whether we are there or not,
15:17I think, when you are there,
15:19people remember you,
15:21and when the whole world talks about you,
15:23there is a pressure on you,
15:25because the responsibility comes on you,
15:27that if the whole world
15:29considers our bowling line-up,
15:31or us,
15:33the best,
15:35then we have to do our best,
15:37so there is a pressure on you,
15:39but if you focus more on those things,
15:41then those things
15:43remain,
15:45I always believe in this,
15:47that we have
15:49done this cricket
15:51since childhood,
15:53and this is the disciplined cricket,
15:55and whether you do good or bad,
15:57you don't forget your process,
15:59and you remain disciplined on your process,
16:01that I have to keep my things right,
16:03and the rest,
16:05the world,
16:07whenever they talk about these things,
16:09if they say something good,
16:11then take it,
16:13I mean,
16:15it is not possible that you
16:17stop watching,
16:19in today's time,
16:21you can't do that,
16:23that you want to turn off social media,
16:25it is very difficult,
16:27if you see,
16:29negative things come in front of you,
16:31and how can you
16:33ignore those negative things,
16:35so I think,
16:37you can do this,
16:39and this is the best thing,
16:41if someone is saying something right,
16:43then how to take it,
16:45because sometimes it happens,
16:47that you have to ignore
16:49negative things,
16:51but I think,
16:53be it a common man,
16:55or a minister,
16:57listen to both,
16:59it is possible,
17:01that one thing is in your heart,
17:03and you feel,
17:05that it is true,
17:07and it is possible,
17:09so you should ignore this,
17:11because a person knows himself the most,
17:13other people don't know,
17:15as much as they know,
17:17that yes, I am feeling this,
17:19and you can work on that too,
17:21so I think,
17:23when people consider you the best,
17:25then you have to do your best for that,
17:27Naseem, off the field,
17:29there is a stardom,
17:31there is a bar of commercial engagements,
17:33in all this,
17:35keeping yourself centered,
17:37that ultimately,
17:39I have to bowl well on the wicket,
17:41and show matches to the team,
17:43playing individually,
17:45how difficult is this,
17:47how many reminders do you give yourself,
17:49that ultimately it is what I do on the ground,
17:51that is important,
17:53it is obvious,
17:55when we didn't have performances,
17:57and we didn't play cricket on the ground,
17:59then there was nothing behind us,
18:01so all these things,
18:03one thing is confirmed,
18:05I know that my job is to bowl on the ground,
18:07and all these things come behind,
18:09when you bowl well on the ground,
18:11it is obvious that you look good,
18:13and,
18:15there will be such players,
18:17who will obviously look like,
18:19that,
18:21like you said,
18:23about commercials,
18:25that, looking wise,
18:27you see,
18:29if someone is good looking,
18:31he gets more things,
18:33when you bowl on the ground,
18:35you look good,
18:37and when you don't bowl on the ground,
18:39then you don't look like that,
18:41you are already good looking,
18:43the main thing is,
18:45when you bowl on the ground,
18:47you look good,
18:49and because of that,
18:51things come behind you,
18:53so the main focus is,
18:55because of which I am known,
18:57because of which people know me,
18:59and because of which,
19:01things come behind me,
19:03so you enjoy all that later,
19:05but the main thing is,
19:07when you bowl on the ground,
19:09when do you enjoy the most,
19:11in the evening,
19:13when the test match is over,
19:15and the team needs a wicket,
19:17or,
19:19when you enjoy bowling in T20 match,
19:21see,
19:23both are such formats,
19:25that,
19:27there is enjoyment,
19:29and I think,
19:31as much as I have played cricket,
19:33I think,
19:35test cricket,
19:37tells you who is the real player,
19:39and in T20 cricket,
19:41I don't think,
19:43you get to know,
19:45whether it is the best or not,
19:47because in such T20 cricket,
19:49batsmen get such shots,
19:51and such things,
19:53that you don't want to play proper cricket,
19:55you want to play such cricket,
19:57because,
19:59there is no hard work in it,
20:01you hit a shot like this,
20:03for bowlers,
20:05it is like,
20:07a bowler is bowling from here,
20:09you won't know properly,
20:11how skillful and talented this bowler is,
20:13and for how long,
20:15this thing can continue,
20:17you bowl slow,
20:19you bowl on the mid wicket,
20:21you bowl wide slow,
20:23you bowl behind the point,
20:25but that out,
20:27if you look at it,
20:29at the end of the day,
20:31people don't want to see,
20:33how many out you have bowled,
20:35in a test match,
20:37when you bowl out,
20:39you get to know,
20:41you yourself feel,
20:43that you have bowled someone out,
20:45for every out,
20:47you have to bowl 6-7 more,
20:49sometimes it happens,
20:51that you get a spell,
20:53you have to bowl continuously,
20:55you have to target that batsman,
20:57at such a place,
20:59that here,
21:01I have to bowl continuously for 3-4 hours,
21:03and after that,
21:05I have to out him,
21:07so in that, you get to know,
21:09the real skills,
21:11and the long time skills,
21:13similarly, there is one day cricket,
21:15because that is also long cricket,
21:17so I feel,
21:19there is no connection between them,
21:21T20 cricket,
21:23is fast cricket,
21:25there is enjoyment,
21:27you just have to do it for 4 hours,
21:29sometimes,
21:31your best bowlers,
21:33will get such shots,
21:35that you will think,
21:37what can I do more than this,
21:39there will be a seam,
21:41there will be a good place,
21:43someone will hit the back shot,
21:45at the end of the day,
21:47you have to see,
21:49you have to pray for your family,
21:51and you are not getting a wicket,
21:53Naseem, tell me,
21:55how excited are you,
21:57to play the world cup in America,
21:59there is a new market for cricket,
22:01and obviously,
22:03there will be a high intensity match,
22:05Pakistan vs India,
22:07as an individual,
22:09how excited are you,
22:11to play the world cup in the US?
22:13See, obviously,
22:15the world cup is such a thing,
22:17every player has a dream,
22:19to play for his country,
22:21to perform well,
22:23because people always remember the world cup,
22:25and obviously,
22:27I am excited,
22:29along with that,
22:31I want to go with a good aim,
22:33and give my best,
22:35as much as I can,
22:37Naseem, before going,
22:39I will take you to a memory lane,
22:41and I will ask you,
22:43if I had to ask you,
22:45what are your three most favorite wickets,
22:47that you have taken,
22:49can you share it with us?
22:51In Test cricket,
22:53obviously, I will talk,
22:55because in Test cricket,
22:57if you take a wicket,
22:59you get peace from inside,
23:01that I only took a wicket,
23:03and I had to work hard,
23:05one is Williamson,
23:07he is such a batsman,
23:09that to take a wicket,
23:11you have to put a lot of effort,
23:13and then,
23:15there was a match in Karachi,
23:17his wicket,
23:19I felt very good,
23:21when I bowled to him,
23:23I was bowling to him for a long time,
23:25he was lifting,
23:27it was a very good play,
23:29and then I bowled to him,
23:31and secondly,
23:33if I say,
23:35when I bowled to Smith,
23:37in Test cricket,
23:39that was also a wicket,
23:41in Test cricket,
23:43it is difficult to take a wicket,
23:45because there is such a player,
23:47when he stands,
23:49then the person says,
23:51how to take a wicket,
23:53so to take a wicket,
23:55I had to put a lot of effort,
23:57and the third wicket,
23:59you can change the format,
24:01I don't want to change the format,
24:03because in Test cricket,
24:05when you take a wicket,
24:07the person doesn't speak,
24:09you have to work hard,
24:11you have to work hard for 1-2 hours,
24:13and then you get the wicket,
24:15in T20, if you see,
24:17in T20,
24:19specials are very less,
24:21that you put a slip,
24:23you know,
24:25do a good court behind,
24:27in T20, if there is a good swimming pitch,
24:29then it happens,
24:31in Test cricket,
24:33I think in one day,
24:35the best wicket in one day,
24:37I still remember,
24:43against New Zealand,
24:45I was bowling,
24:47in Karachi, Conway,
24:49the ball was reversing,
24:51I, you know,
24:53out-swinged it from the leg,
24:55so it hit the middle stump,
24:57so I think,
24:59it was a wicket,
25:01the team needed it at that time,
25:03and it was a good partnership,
25:05I still remember it,
25:07Naseem, we hope,
25:09that you will score more wickets,
25:11in the upcoming World Cup,
25:13and the next time we are sitting together,
25:15your 3 most favorite wickets,
25:17will be from the upcoming World Cup,
25:19Thank you so much for joining us,
25:21we wish you the very best,
25:23and see you soon,
25:25Thank you.