Shah’s brilliant new-ball bowling spell laid the groundwork for his team’s incredible comeback. Pakistan ultimately fell short, but Shah made the entire world stand and applaud his outstanding performance. The right-arm pacer, who made his international debut at the age of 16, was already a known entity on the international circuit, but his performance against India cemented his position as one of the world’s most exciting young talents.
Those who first saw him bowling were astounded to learn he was only 19 years old. His tenacity and determination in the face of adversity belied his youth. People who dug deep on the internet to learn more about him were in for a big surprise. People discovered an old tweet from 2018 by senior Pakistani sports journalist Saj Sadiq, in which he referred to the highly rated pacer as a 17-year-old.
Despite receiving numerous comments, the veteran journalist has never bothered to delete or explain his old tweet. It only serves to demonstrate that it was not a typo.
If his tweet is accurate, it means the pacer lied about his age, reducing it by two years. Shah’s old tweet contradicts official records, which show that he is still a teenager.
Age fraud is a serious crime, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has a zero-tolerance policy for it. This is not, however, the first such case to emerge from Pakistan.
Ordinary people like you and me age with each passing year, but it appears that Pakistani cricketers have discovered a way to turn back time and age backwards.
