Naseem Shah

FULL NAME

Naseem Shah

TEAMS

Desert Vipers

Naseem is a right-arm fast bowler who bats right-handed, and he is one of the most exciting quicks in world cricket. He made his Test debut for Pakistan at 16 in 2019, and he has since become a regular in all three formats, with a Test hat-trick to his name.

His most famous innings with the bat came in the 2022 Asia Cup, when he hit two sixes off the last two balls to beat Afghanistan and send Pakistan to the final. With the ball, his pace and swing have troubled the best batters in the world, and his new-ball partnership with Shaheen Shah Afridi is one of the most feared in international cricket. The Vipers bought him at the Season 5 auction to lead their pace attack, and his job is to take wickets in the powerplay and set the tone for the champions' title defence.

Naseem made his Pakistan Test debut in November 2019 against Australia, at 16, and took a hat-trick against Bangladesh in February 2020 — the youngest bowler in history to take a Test hat-trick. He has since played more than 20 Tests and 30 ODIs, and he has been a regular in Pakistan's white-ball sides.

He has played in the Pakistan Super League for Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United, and in the ILT20 for the Vipers, where his pace has made him a fan favourite. His most famous moment with the bat — two sixes off Fazalhaq Farooqi to beat Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup — is still talked about in Pakistan. At 23, he is entering his prime as a fast bowler — and the Vipers have signed him for the biggest season in their history.

The Vipers' pace attack is the strongest in the league. Naseem is the spearhead, David Payne is the left-arm swing bowler, Khuzaima Tanveer took 17 wickets in the title-winning Season 4 campaign, and Saleem Safi is a 140kph Afghan quick.

Naseem's role is to take the new ball, bowl fast, and take wickets in the powerplay. Six of the Vipers' ten league games are in Dubai, where pace has often decided matches, and a bowler who can bowl at 145kph and swing the new ball is worth his weight. If the Vipers defend their title, Naseem will be at the centre of it.

Naseem's season starts with the title defence: the opener against MI Emirates on 21 November in Dubai, a repeat of the Season 4 final. The full list of every ILT20 fixture is on the ILT20 Schedule.

• Match 1 — MI Emirates: Saturday 21 November 2026, 6:30 PM GST, Dubai.
• Match 4 — Sharjah Warriorz: Monday 23 November 2026, evening session, Sharjah.
• Match 6 — Dubai Capitals: Wednesday 25 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 9 — MI Emirates: Saturday 28 November 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 12 — Gulf Giants: Sunday 29 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 15 — Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Wednesday 2 December 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 18 — Sharjah Warriorz: Friday 4 December 2026, evening session, Sharjah.
• Match 21 — Dubai Capitals: Sunday 6 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 27 — Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Saturday 12 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 29 — Gulf Giants: Sunday 13 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Playoffs: Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 16 December, the Eliminator on Wednesday 17 December, Qualifier 2 on Friday 18 December, and the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai.

Follow every ILT20 result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.