Hunain Shah Reveals Secrets to PSL Domination in 2026

Hunain Shah shares his strategies for success in the PSL

Pre Tournament Preparation Hunain Shah did not play the first three games, but he was prepared for the tournament, having set a target to be at his best when the PSL came around. He had been preparing for five to six months, and it was not like he had to do something special to get into the team when he was not playing. Shah had been working on his skills, including bowling yorkers, which he is known to be good at, even in domestic cricket. He practiced a lot of target bowling and spent a whole week just bowling yorkers to make sure he could nail them when the team needed them. ## Yorker Bowling Strategy Shah believes that yorkers can be deployed at any time, not just at the death, and that they can be used to bluff the batter. He says that when he feels the batter is not expecting a yorker, he will attempt one. However, he also notes that the team plan matters more, and he tries to execute according to that. In the previous two or three matches, Shah did not bowl too many yorkers because he was getting help from the pitch and the length ball was also a useful option, even at the death. ## Generating Reverse Swing Shah has been able to generate reverse swing at the death with yorkers, which he attributes to the ball hitting the chairs or the hard floor directly when boundaries are hit. He says that this can alter the shape or structure of the ball and start assisting the bowlers. In one instance, when the spinners were bowling, a lot of boundaries were hit, and Shah saw that the ball was reversing a bit when he bowled the second last over. He spoke to his teammate, Daisy, and the captain, Marnus Labuschagne, and they decided to take a chance and give him the ball, which resulted in a successful outcome. ## Coaching and Mindset Shah has been coached by Jason Gillespie, who has been very experienced and knowledgeable. Gillespie told Shah that when he first bowls to a batter, he should have his own plan first, and that he should commit 100% to that ball. Shah says that he has learned to focus on the ball he is bowling at the top of his run-up, and that this has helped him to execute more consistently. Gillespie has also instilled in Shah the idea that mindset is very important, and that he should work on his mindset rather than his skills during the tournament. ## Dealing with Pressure Shah says that when he has a plan and is bowling to a batter like Steven Smith, and every ball is going for four or six, he tries to stay calm and focused. He notes that sometimes the batter is just having a good day, and that he has to accept that. Shah believes that when he wins the first ball of an over, whether as a batter or bowler, he has a huge chance of dominating his opponent. He says that it is a great learning experience to stay calm in difficult situations, and that he enjoys bowling in pressure situations. ## PSL Performance Shah says that the PSL gives him big moments, and that he performs well when his team trusts him and is depending on him. He notes that when he thinks he is the main bowler of a line-up, it gives him confidence, and that he understands that the moment he is in is what he has worked for, for months. Shah enjoys bowling in pressure situations, and he deals with those moments well, which he thinks is a significant reason for him doing well in the PSL. He also mentions that he hit the winning runs in the 2024 final, which was a great experience for him. ## Family and Cricket Shah comes from a famous Pakistani cricketing family, with three brothers who have the same core skillset and are similar in age. He says that there is no comparison between them, and that Naseem is a role model and inspiration for them. Shah notes that his eldest brother and father take care of the household, and that they do not compete with each other. He also mentions that his father did not know much about cricket when they started playing, but now he follows it more closely, especially when Naseem is playing. Shah jokes that they often think the less their father understands, the better, so that he does not worry too much about their performance.