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Naseem Shah or Shaheen Shah Afridi - Who is more talented?

The synonym of Afridi is talent/ability.
 
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Shaheen is more well rounded but I think Naseem has *it*factor. Not everyone has "it" and "it" is no guarantee for success but "it" is there in Naseem let's hope he makes full use of "it"
 
I think the best answer is they both compliment each other really well, one being tall , bounce, good skill set, the other short , skiddy, excellent skill set.
 
Naseem has a better action and is more talented.

But Shaheen will take 200 more Test wickets at a better average and a much better economy rate, simply because he is 6’6 while Naseem is only 5’10.

Those eight inches will make a massive difference.
 
Naseem has a better action and is more talented.

But Shaheen will take 200 more Test wickets at a better average and a much better economy rate, simply because he is 6’6 while Naseem is only 5’10.

Those eight inches will make a massive difference.
Shaheen will take 450 Test wickets in 110 Tests at 23, with an economy rate of under 3.

Naseem will take 250 Test wickets in 60 Tests at an average of 28, with an economy rate of almost 4. In contrast with Shaheen, he will suffer career-threatening back injuries and he will have a sharp deterioration in his performance after the fake age of 25, as he loses his pace.
 
Talent wise, its difficult to judge at the min, but current skill level, SSA is miles ahead due to his exposure to international cricket

NAseem Shah could catch up... maybe 10 tests 10 ODIz down the line we can judge them ... but currently SSA anyday everyday
 
Those eight inches will make a massive difference.

Not the first time someone has said it, and definitely not the last time as well :))

The problem in Pakistan cricket is the absence of desire and mentors. Players are okay for a season or two and then they get distracted. Not many are willing to put their body on the line and achieve greatness so we can never be confident of any Pakistani cricketer anymore.
 
Shaheen easily
Though Naseem is not that far and has a lot of potential.
 
Naseem started ahead in terms of skills if we talk about junior level year or two ago however Shaheen debuted in international cricket around 1.5 years ago and being a quick learner he is, he has made it more neck to neck now or maybe is ahead if we talk about pure skills with ball in hand.

Both were prodigies to be honest but what always amazed be during QAE19 and still amazes me is that how at such a young age without international development pf 1.5 years which Shaheen has, Naseem was already moving the ball in and out from good length. Made veterans like Asad Shadiq, Abid Ali, Fawad Alam etc clueless against some of his deliveries in QAE.

So natural talent wise I guess Naseem was superior but Shaheen is a quick learner and has almost got most things covered except for reverse swing which will come with time but Naseem does have that ability too. Shaheen has pretty deceptive slower though which Naseem needs to work upon.

So can be a good internal rivalry going forward.
 
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Shaheen has come a long way since the first time i saw him play, if naseem can have a similar journey then i dont care who will be better because it will mean Pak has 2 world class pacers.
 
Afridi. Taller and less injury prone I think. Also knows how to set a batsman up. Clever bowler. His ceiling is higher.
 
Well if you look at their bowling naseem gives that pure pakistani fast bowler vibes coz his action is delightful and he is faster.
But i think shaheen will retire as a better bowler coz he is difficult to score.
 
Pakistan’s bowling resources in the next 5 years

Shaheen (premier)

Naseem (Premier, needs to stay fit)

Rauf (Very good limited overs bowler)

Hasnain (Needs work, can be excellent)

Musa (Needs work + needs to add an extra dimension to his cricket by offering with the bat)

- - - -

Hassan Ali
 
Afridi. Taller and less injury prone I think. Also knows how to set a batsman up. Clever bowler. His ceiling is higher.

Plus he is also a more confident lower order batsman. This may have been irrelevant in the past but Pakistan could do with a decent number 8-9
 
Shaheen. He has all the talent required to become world class. Just needs to stay fit and focused.

I’m afraid Naseem will break a lot of excited hearts. I don’t see him succeeding against good lineups. He won’t make an impact in the upcoming England series.
 
Interesting views, I’ve had a “there’s something special about this kid” feeling after seeing a Pakistani speedster after many years as soon as I watched Naseem on test debut v Australia.

As far as Shaheen Afridi, I feel the same way about him as I did about a young Umar Gul , a hard working and steady performer who will be handy in certain conditions but special? Unsure - but then appears many fans rate Gul very highly and much higher then I do. Can’t remember a single spell from Gul that I would want to go back and re-live if I could. Now compare with the truly ‘special’ fast bowlers over the years , see what I mean?

Hoping Naseem goes on and showcases the genuine fast bowling talent he is blessed with, aside from pace.
 
Interesting views, I’ve had a “there’s something special about this kid” feeling after seeing a Pakistani speedster after many years as soon as I watched Naseem on test debut v Australia.

As far as Shaheen Afridi, I feel the same way about him as I did about a young Umar Gul , a hard working and steady performer who will be handy in certain conditions but special? Unsure - but then appears many fans rate Gul very highly and much higher then I do. Can’t remember a single spell from Gul that I would want to go back and re-live if I could. Now compare with the truly ‘special’ fast bowlers over the years , see what I mean?

Hoping Naseem goes on and showcases the genuine fast bowling talent he is blessed with, aside from pace.

I think Gull-dozer is rated mainly for his spells in ODI and especially T20 cricket. Gul is, quite possibly, the greatest T20 fast bowler of all time, both statistically and in terms of entertainment. I preferred his reverse swinging yorkers to Malinga’s even. I watched a great spell he bowled against England at the Oval many years ago, and it was one of the best ODI games I have seen live. He stole victory from the jaws of defeat that day. But yeah, T20 is where he was absolutely lethal for some time.
 
Interesting views, I’ve had a “there’s something special about this kid” feeling after seeing a Pakistani speedster after many years as soon as I watched Naseem on test debut v Australia.

As far as Shaheen Afridi, I feel the same way about him as I did about a young Umar Gul , a hard working and steady performer who will be handy in certain conditions but special? Unsure - but then appears many fans rate Gul very highly and much higher then I do. Can’t remember a single spell from Gul that I would want to go back and re-live if I could. Now compare with the truly ‘special’ fast bowlers over the years , see what I mean?

Hoping Naseem goes on and showcases the genuine fast bowling talent he is blessed with, aside from pace.
Well said.

Shaheen is very good, but a steady bowler who is improving every day.

Naseem just seems to have that ability to run through batting line-ups.

Shaheen looks hell of a lot better right now due to 1.5 years of international experience, but if Naseem works hard and keeps his focus on the game, this is a special fast bowler for world cricket.

With regards to his height, Naseem had Warner ducking and weaving in his first ever assignment of international cricket. He has a lethal bouncer, which is already proving to be difficult to deal with.
 
Well said.

Shaheen is very good, but a steady bowler who is improving every day.

Naseem just seems to have that ability to run through batting line-ups.

Shaheen looks hell of a lot better right now due to 1.5 years of international experience, but if Naseem works hard and keeps his focus on the game, this is a special fast bowler for world cricket.

With regards to his height, Naseem had Warner ducking and weaving in his first ever assignment of international cricket. He has a lethal bouncer, which is already proving to be difficult to deal with.

Yeah well said naseem can be the bowler who can run through the batting lineup in short spells he took 4 wickets in less than 10 over and his 5 wicket hall came in just about 12 overs while it took shaheen about 20 overs to get 5 wickets
 
Naseem shah was clearly born to play cricket because he has the most vertical and efficient action I've ever seen
Shaheen has a sloppier action but is blessed with height and is a more seasoned performer. I don't know, they're both very good. Naseem shah is more 'talented' though
 
shaheen will succeed in all formats,if groomed properly, he will be similar to wasim akram(obviously not as good as akram, akram had much more variation). naseem shah will be a test specialist, wont be so successful in limited overs.

naseem , at his best form, will outbowl shaheen. but overall, shaheen will be more consistent. so shaheen is slightly more talented, his height plays a big factor
 
Knowing the PCB they're both gonna drop off and be irrelevant in 3 years, best not to dwell on them
 
Shaheen will take 450 Test wickets in 110 Tests at 23, with an economy rate of under 3.

Naseem will take 250 Test wickets in 60 Tests at an average of 28, with an economy rate of almost 4. In contrast with Shaheen, he will suffer career-threatening back injuries and he will have a sharp deterioration in his performance after the fake age of 25, as he loses his pace.

I like the specificity. How would you rank them against a young Mohammad Amir?
 
Naseem is more talented but shaheen will pick up alot more wickets becouse he will play alot more matches
 
Don't listen to junaids. He is a clown
Same guy who ruled out naseem being a gun because he is under 6 foot . Short skiddy bowlers thrive on slower pitches look at MM or steyn. You judge a bowler on their quality not their height
Heck kemar roach is top 3 fast bowler in the world right now easily and hes only getting better with age
 
Don't listen to junaids. He is a clown
Same guy who ruled out naseem being a gun because he is under 6 foot . Short skiddy bowlers thrive on slower pitches look at MM or steyn. You judge a bowler on their quality not their height
Heck kemar roach is top 3 fast bowler in the world right now easily and hes only getting better with age

if naseem really is 16 and if has good genes, he can reach 6 ft maybe even 6,1 . some people grow 4 inches after 16
 
if naseem really is 16 and if has good genes, he can reach 6 ft maybe even 6,1 . some people grow 4 inches after 16

He’s definitely not 16, this much is for sure. Too much of a paper trail with several witnesses from two to three years ago placing him at 16-17 then. He would likely be around 19 right now.

This matches his body structure and muscle development which to the naked eye definitely don’t look 16. Dr. Nauman Niaz feels the same and I trust his qualifications

I personally don’t mind him being 18 or 19 as he would still retain his record for youngest 5 wicket haul and youngest hat trick. It also gives him time to improve.

At most, Naseem will grow one more inch at this point in time, assuming we are overestimating his age and underestimating a genetic late growth factor.

But even then, he would remain at 5’11” at most. Not too bad (could have been worse like Musa Khan) but not extraordinary like Shaheen. I still highly rate him and think he provides an extra dimension to the attack. I would rather have Naseem’s x factor that allows him to run through an attack and trouble batsmen like Warner even on debut, than a Shaheen look alike.

So even though Shaheen will probably be more successful in terms of pure stats, a Naseem+Shaheen combination is far more brutal than a combination with two identical Shaheens. This is better for Pakistan at the end of the day.

My prediction is the two of them will end up highest wicket takers of the next World Test Champiomship cycle. Shaheen will get to Top 10 test bowlers first
 
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Shaheen will get number 1 test bowler first as well. Naseem will provide close competition and will always be right behind in the top 5. Will occasionally overtake shaheen over the span of his career, but not for prolonged periods. Shaheen will hit 300-400 wickets and Naseem will hit 200-300. Naseem will be in and out of the side as often as Shoaib Akhtar, and will end up being rotated with Hasnain probably once Hasnain builds up stamina for the Test Format.

Tahir Hussain from the current U19 squad looks like he has a solid grip over lines and lengths, and him along with Hasan Ali, Sameen Gul, and very occasionally Haris Rauf, will rotate as the third pacer/seamer.

The most often Test attack that Pakistan will play over the next 10 years assuming all players are at full strength is:
Shaheen (spearhead)
Naseem (new ball partner)
Hasnain (third pacer, similar to Shoaib’s role at first change with Wasim and Waqar)
 
Leave his age out of this discussion.

It’s arguably very relevant to the first question in the OP. Talent is judged as a metric of quality at a certain age level. Naseem would be more talented than Amir was at 17 if he was really 16, for example, but in reality Amir was the bigger talent.

Similarly, Naseem would definitely be the bigger “talent” between him and Shaheen, unless the two of them are actually very similar in age, in which case Shaheen is more talented
 
Let's hope they stay fit and focused. I saw a video of Naseem with Butt, and it shook me to the core. Don't we ever learn.
 
I get how you're feeling. Try to have faith though bro. I think naseem is going to make it

Yeah, I just know the more invested I am, the more disappointed I'll be if/when they fade away. I'm rooting for these two 100% but I'm not gonna hype them up as greats anytime soon.
 
I think Naseem is slightly better. Shaheen hasn't done that well against top oppositions.

Both Naseem and Shaheen should have a big role to play in the upcoming England series.
 
Shaheen has all the tools and nous to become a quality test bowler for many years.

Naseem is still very raw and while talented is yet to display the range Shaheen has shown off
 
naseem is very talented so is shaheen but naseem has slight edge due to his pace he is already the fastest pacer in asia in tests.I hope both stay injury free and have long careers.
 
Shaheen is more talented as he has bigger skill and range to showcase, Naseem has pace on his side but still raw.
 
Plus he is also a more confident lower order batsman. This may have been irrelevant in the past but Pakistan could do with a decent number 8-9

Possibly. But Shaheen needs to focus on his bowling alone imo. I think he can gain a yard of pace and he'll be absolutely lethal. Lower order batting is overrated. Only Junaids hypes it like no tomorrow.
 
Shaheen will be more consistent but Naseem is likely to run through sides on his day
 
Shaheen. He has all the talent required to become world class. Just needs to stay fit and focused.

I’m afraid Naseem will break a lot of excited hearts. I don’t see him succeeding against good lineups. He won’t make an impact in the upcoming England series.

I agree with this. Shaheen has all the ingredients to become Pakistan's 4th ATG pacer after Wasim, Imran and Waqar. As for Naseem, he is still too raw.
 
Interesting views, I’ve had a “there’s something special about this kid” feeling after seeing a Pakistani speedster after many years as soon as I watched Naseem on test debut v Australia.

As far as Shaheen Afridi, I feel the same way about him as I did about a young Umar Gul , a hard working and steady performer who will be handy in certain conditions but special? Unsure - but then appears many fans rate Gul very highly and much higher then I do. Can’t remember a single spell from Gul that I would want to go back and re-live if I could. Now compare with the truly ‘special’ fast bowlers over the years , see what I mean?

Hoping Naseem goes on and showcases the genuine fast bowling talent he is blessed with, aside from pace.

There are numerous spells in T20 cricket alone which are memorable.

In Tests there is the 2nd India Test in 2004 and ODIs the 6 wicket haul in England after spot fixing scandal. And ofcourse spells in 2011 WC.
 
How do you even measure talent? Shaheen is way ahead of Nasim atm and that’s all that matters.
 
Naseem is our most talented bowler since Muhammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a delivery Naseem Shah it’s definitely your time now <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rawpace?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rawpace</a></p>— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) <a href="https://twitter.com/wasimakramlive/status/1233039199949008896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Look at this tweet above, what else can we say when the Sultan himself approves it.
 
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Naseem is our most talented bowler since Muhammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a delivery Naseem Shah it’s definitely your time now <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rawpace?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rawpace</a></p>— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) <a href="https://twitter.com/wasimakramlive/status/1233039199949008896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Look at this tweet above, what else can we say when the Sultan himself approves it.

there's no doubt it.He is the most talented pacer in the world right now.I hope he stays injury free.
 
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Naseem is more talented.

I believe in 2-3 years this will become increasingly obvious.

Shaheen is unquestionably talented and an elite prospect but he also has the added advantage of height. That's something Naseem doesn't get to exploit.

But it doesn't really matter because both will be leading PAK's pace attack for the next decade.
 
As many of you have pointed out, i didnt believe Afridi would develop the inswing needed by left armers to be successful but he has and to a point where he is getting close to being a World class bowler( needs to knock out one of the big boys to show he has truly arrived). Naseem is a special talent and is again not far from being World class.
The last time i was this excited by a right arm fast bowler was when i saw Akhtar at Worcester in 1997. IA both stay fit because along with the Indian bookies and personal temptations, this will be their greatest challenge. The PCB need to also protect them from too much bowling in matches and in the nets. Treat with kid gloves
 
Some people are hell bent in proving that Naseem is more talented than Shaheen, looks like they have forgotten that the latter also plays for Pakistan.

They are roughly the same age and Shaheen is far ahead in terms of development. He is also more economical and the rightful leader of Pakistan’s pace attack.

Naseem bowled well yesterday but the Ronchi wicket was a complete gift. It was a nothing delivery but Ronchi played about idiotic shot, and I cringed when the commentator called it a “yorker”.

Shaheen pretty much earns all his wickets and doesn’t need to get lucky. He is taller and more skillful.
 
Tbh I don't know and personally don't care, there both young and both have the ability to be greats BUT there very young right now Shaheen is a fast learner but he's only 19 and Naseem Shah on the other hand is 17 and both have a lot of learning and discipline to do. Me? I just want to see where they could end up cause both players future is really bright. Staying fit and having a good bowling coach will help them have successful careers but also determination and commitment to be a great player.
 
Shaheen is more talented and a better performer. Naseem is a one trick pony atm.
 
Shaheen when in groove can run through Top orders easily its Evident From some of his performances like Against NZ,SA,AFG and BG in WC
And His Performance in PSL is Always top notch
Naseem at best can take 2 wickets in succession and then Bust and dont forget Shaheen Controls runs too he is just different beast after WC game against SA
It will take him a good 2-3 years to get to the level of Afridi
 
Interesting comparison. I feel theyre both potential big names if they can continue their upward surge.
Shaheen is taller, has more control. If he can bring the ball back in to the right hander regularly, hes the complete package.needs works on the bouncer.
Shah has more speed, a better short ball. Hes had less than a year since his change in action and should naturally get more rhythm into his bowling as his body adapts completely to the more side on action.
Right now, Shaheen is the better bowler. specially in the Test format. But in 3 years time?.. Who knows.
And the age comparison. Theyre the same age. Doesnt everyone realize this by now?. Shah is 19.
 
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Some people are hell bent in proving that Naseem is more talented than Shaheen, looks like they have forgotten that the latter also plays for Pakistan.

They are roughly the same age and Shaheen is far ahead in terms of development. He is also more economical and the rightful leader of Pakistan’s pace attack.

Naseem bowled well yesterday but the Ronchi wicket was a complete gift. It was a nothing delivery but Ronchi played about idiotic shot, and I cringed when the commentator called it a “yorker”.

Shaheen pretty much earns all his wickets and doesn’t need to get lucky. He is taller and more skillful.

What if i say he altered his length watching ronchi come down the track. Dont try to behave like an expert on cricket when you are clearly not. I am sure you dont watch closely enough nor have you ever played cricket
 
What if i say he altered his length watching ronchi come down the track. Dont try to behave like an expert on cricket when you are clearly not. I am sure you dont watch closely enough nor have you ever played cricket

Exactly. It was a cracking spell. Yes, clearly this guy mamoo hasn’t played any proper cricket, just a bit of tape ball maybe or some very friendly games. Certainly could not have been a bowler.

There have been some lovely bowling performances so far in the PSL, and Shaheen probably still had the best spell vs IU, but Naseem Shah’s wickets in yesterday’s match were so satisfying. Both are special bowlers. Inshallah they stay fit and continue to develop
 
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Why cant we just be grateful that we have both playing for Pakistan. We are very lucky to have two very young and talented bowlers that any country would be happy to have as part of their squad.

Shaheen looks the more complete bowler atm but he also has more experience of playing international cricket. Imo Shaheen is the biggest fast bowling talent in the world right now he has everything going for him and wouldnt be surprised if he can become a top 3 in all formats within the next 2-3 years
 
Why cant we just be grateful that we have both playing for Pakistan. We are very lucky to have two very young and talented bowlers that any country would be happy to have as part of their squad.

Shaheen looks the more complete bowler atm but he also has more experience of playing international cricket. Imo Shaheen is the biggest fast bowling talent in the world right now he has everything going for him and wouldnt be surprised if he can become a top 3 in all formats within the next 2-3 years

we cant be grateful until we can compete with the big 3. Right now we are still below big 3 by a huge margin in the real format I.e test cricket.
 
We can be grateful to have these two regardless of that. You cant have one without the other. To compete with the best you need the best players and the evolution of these two will only help that journey.
Of course we are far off the pace of the top teams but having match winning bowlers is a positive step especially in test matches.
 
Pakistan’s bowling resources in the next 5 years

Shaheen (premier)

Naseem (Premier, needs to stay fit)

Rauf (Very good limited overs bowler)

Hasnain (Needs work, can be excellent)

Musa (Needs work + needs to add an extra dimension to his cricket by offering with the bat)

- - - -

Hassan Ali

Don't tell me that Abbas has fallen out of favor. Additionally, Amir is going to stick around as the experienced LO spearhead.
 
Shaheen and naseem are on par but prefer shaheen due to not being injured and has progressed his career but naseem will scare people with pace and bounce
 
Some people are hell bent in proving that Naseem is more talented than Shaheen, looks like they have forgotten that the latter also plays for Pakistan.

They are roughly the same age and Shaheen is far ahead in terms of development. He is also more economical and the rightful leader of Pakistan’s pace attack.

Naseem bowled well yesterday but the Ronchi wicket was a complete gift. It was a nothing delivery but Ronchi played about idiotic shot, and I cringed when the commentator called it a “yorker”.

Shaheen pretty much earns all his wickets and doesn’t need to get lucky. He is taller and more skillful.

Agreed. I don't think anyone can argue that Shaheen isn't ahead at this stage, and by a long way. He has height, a beautiful repeatable action and most importantly a brain.

However you are completely downplaying Naseem. By all metrics he is a special talent. He is a lot more raw but there is something about him that gives him the x-factor.

For example Hasnain is taller, better build, faster. But its clear there is a gulf in quality between him and Naseem.
 
Naseem has already made Husnain look Tier 2 bowler compared to him
 
[MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]
Is Naseem better than Hassan, Faheem, Musa, Husnain, Rauf, Abbas, Shinwari?
 
Shaheen is better at the moment but Naseem is more excited to watch. Pakistan 5 man pace attack for WC should be Shaheen, Wahab, Aamir, Naseem & Haris/Hasnain. Nice blend of youth and experience. WC is still some months away so picture will be clearer in the next months
 
[MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]
Is Naseem better than Hassan, Faheem, Musa, Husnain, Rauf, Abbas, Shinwari?

Of course. I am personally not impressed with Hasnain, Musa and Rauf at all. Shinwari is average, Abbas and Hasan are finished and Faheem is unbelievably bad.
 
Shaheen is a proper athlete, modern day super athlete, he's 90% LQ all by himself, if he had few decent players to accompany him at LQ, he would win it for LQ
 
Both are good. Hopefully these two have a long career for Pakistan

Shaheen is ahead at this point but Naseem can be world class if he keeps working hard
 
Hasnain and Haris are also worth persisting specially in shorter formats because it is essential to manage work load of Naseem and shaheen
 
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