Is this the new Wasim Akram?

Shaheen Shah Afridi is likely to make his Test debut in the deciding Test between New Zealand and Pakistan, after Pakistan won the second Test and levelled their three-match series

Shaheen Shah Afridi, an 18-year-old pace bowler with an awful lot in common with legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram, looks set to make his Test debut for Pakistan against New Zealand on Monday.

He is likely to be the replacement for Mohammed Abbas who has sustained a shoulder injury ahead of the deciding Test between the two nations, after Pakistan won the second Test and levelled their three-match series.

"If I get a chance I will do my best," Shaheen told AFP on Saturday. "I always had belief in my ability and in my hard work although I didn't expect my chance would come in Tests so early."

^{Shaheen Afridi is set to replace Mohammad Abbas}

Early does not quite do it justice. Shaheen has only played three first-class matches, but has made a massive impact in that brief time, taking 8-39 on his debut in September 2017.

Since then he has become a big player of a Pakistan T20 side which has claimed a world-record 11 consecutive T20 series and climbed to the top of the ICC T20 Team Rankings. For his part Shaheen has taken 11 wickets at 18.45 in seven T20 internationals.

There are also a number of similarities between him and Wasim Akram, something even Wasim has commented on in the past.

"He is a left-arm bowler, he is tall and he reminds me of me in my youth as his bowling action is also identical, coming in sideways, and extracting bounce," Akram explained in a video ahead of the 2018 U19 World Cup where Shaheen finished as Pakistan's leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets at 14.58.

^{Wasim Akram took 414 Test wickets at 23.62}

Like Wasim, his debut comes after only three first-class matches, something which Shaheen acknowledges.

"Test cricket is the ultimate so matching the great Wasim's feat will motivate me a lot and just like I do in limited over matches, I will try to take wickets for my team to win the series," he told AFP.

If Shaheen can go further than just bowling in a similar style to Wasim Akram, and getting into the Test team as early as him, then Pakistan could have a player on their hands with a very bright future.

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