Leg-spinner picks favourite wicket from Test series
Aussie tormenter inspired by Warne
Pakistani leg-spinner Yasir Shah was inspired by Shane Warne's tweets during his spin demolition of Australia which helped Pakistan win a rare series last week.
Shah, 28, took 12 wickets in two Tests - his first five-day matches - during Pakistan's 2-0 win, their first over Australia in 20 years.
Shah said on Friday Warne's tweets during the series encouraged him.
"It's very encouraging that a legend like Warne supported me so much and every day he tweeted," Shah told reporters.
"I have never met him but it's my desire to meet him," said Shah of the Australian great who took 708 Test wickets during an illustrious career which ended in 2007.
Just switched on the Tv & watching Aus V Pak in Dubai. I like the look of this leggie Yasir Shah, plenty of energy & nice variations of pace
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) October 24, 2014
Looking fwd to watching Yasir Shah bowl his leggies, sliders & top spinners. His over spinner & slider will be the key today + his patience
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) October 26, 2014
Good timing, Yasir Shah is about to bowl. Patience, his over spinner & slider the key for this pitch... Great start, impressive again...
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) October 26, 2014
I'm liking my man Yasir Shah's energy & shape on the ball, also his over spinner & patience !! He's going to take 200 + test wickets 👍
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) November 2, 2014
Would like to see Yasir Shah bowl a bit more of a middle & leg stump line & get the right handers trying to hit more through the leg side !!
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) November 2, 2014
Warne is the second highest Test wicket-taker behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralidaran who finished with a world record 800.
Shah said he started playing cricket only after watching the great spinner.
"I followed Warne in the beginning and my action was similar to his but then Aaqib Javed (former coach at Lahore academy) changed my action but he has always been my inspiration," said Shah.
Shah said he was initially nervous when he made his debut in the Dubai Test.
"I was a bit nervous that I was in the Test team for the first time but coach Waqar (Younis) told me that you feel like you are playing a first-class match, Mushtaq Ahmed (spin bowling coach) and then Misbah-ul Haq (captain) supported and motivated me a lot so I felt like playing a first class domestic match," said Shah.
"Misbah is captain of my first-class team as well so it looked like I was playing a first-class match."
Shah disagreed Pakistan's domestic cricket is less competitive.
"Look, our domestic cricket is competitive, we have green pitches and it's tough for spinners to get wickets so we have to work very hard and that's helped me," said Shah, who said the wicket of Australia opener David Warner's was his most memorable.
"I got Warner after he got a hundred," said Shah of the opener's dismissal for 133 in Dubai. "I had planned to get him out and it worked, that was my best wicket."