Respect him but don't fear him: Naseem Shah on facing Virat Kohli

Pace sensation Naseem Shah has expressed his desire to face arch-rivals India at some point during his career, and clarified that he "is not "afraid" to face Indian captain Virat Kohli.

The 17-year-old, who has had a blistering start to his international career, said that he wants to test himself against the neighbours' star-studded batting line-up, noting that contests between the two sides "are always special".

"I have already been told that players can become heroes and villains in those matches," Naseem said.

"They are special matches as they happen so rarely and yes, I am looking forward to playing against India whenever that opportunity arises. I hope that I can bowl well against India when that chance comes by and won’t let our fans down."

Furthermore, Naseem, who is the youngest to take a five-wicket haul and Test hat-trick, clarified that while he has the utmost respect for Kohli, he does not feel an ounce of fear when it comes to facing the experienced batsman.

"I respect him but don’t fear him. It’s always a challenge to bowl to the best, but that’s where you have to raise your game. I look forward to playing against Kohli and India whenever that chance comes," he said.

Meanwhile, Naseem reflected upon his journey to international stardom and relished over his success.

"I never thought for a minute that I would be proudly wearing the shirt of my country at such an early stage of my career. I have always had faith in my ability and feel that hard work always pays off in any aspect of your life," he said, reported PakPassion.