Naseem Shah Joins SNGPL for Ongoing President’s Trophy

Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has joined Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for the ongoing domestic season and will be available for the team from the third round of the President’s Trophy, beginning Thursday.

An SNGPL official confirmed that Naseem will remain available for the team for the remainder of the tournament. The fast bowler was not included in any of the eight departmental squads when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially announced the teams.

Naseem will be joined at SNGPL by Pakistan batter Abdullah Shafique and Pakistan Under-19 captain Farhan Yousaf, who have also linked up with the team ahead of their third-round fixture against Markhor IT Solutions in Peshawar.

The participation of several Pakistan internationals in the President’s Trophy comes after the introduction of new central contracts, which make domestic first-class cricket mandatory for centrally contracted players.

Under the new requirements, players in Category A, comprising Test specialists, must play at least six domestic first-class matches in a season. Players in Category AB, covering Test and ODI specialists, are required to feature in at least four matches, while those in Category BC, which includes white-ball specialists, must play a minimum of two first-class games.

Naseem’s last Test appearance came in December 2024, when Pakistan suffered a two-wicket defeat against South Africa in Centurion. He missed the second Test after developing chest congestion and was subsequently left out of the squad for Pakistan’s home Test series against the West Indies, as the team opted for a spin-heavy combination.

Since then, Naseem has played only one domestic first-class match. He represented Lahore Region Whites against Islamabad Region in last year’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, while his involvement in Pakistan’s home T20I and ODI series against South Africa limited his opportunities in domestic cricket.

His return to first-class cricket could provide Naseem with an opportunity to build match fitness and strengthen his case for selection for Pakistan’s upcoming home Test series against Sri Lanka in November, as well as the limited-overs matches scheduled before the Tests.

Pakistan’s fast-bowling stocks have come under scrutiny in recent months, particularly over pace and the ability to generate consistent movement with both the new and old ball. Naseem had established himself as an important part of Pakistan’s pace attack after making his international debut, with his pace and ability to extract movement making him a key option across formats.

SNGPL, runners-up in the previous edition of the President’s Trophy, are currently at the bottom of the points table after two rounds. They have collected one point from a draw and suffered one defeat.