No regrets over Nauman's late Test debut, says father

Pakistani slow left-arm spinner Nauman Ali made history as he bagged a 5-wicket-haul for Pakistan in his debut Test against South Africa at Karachi.

At the age of 34 years, 114 days he is the oldest to take 5 wickets in an innings on Test debut since Fen Creswell (34 years, 146 days) played for New Zealand against England at The Oval in 1949.

Nauman Ali's family has no regrets about his late entry into the national team.

"Look, it was written in his destiny to play for the country at this age and we have no regrets", Nauman Ali's father Haji Goolam Rasool, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Hyderabad, said.

"He was performing well in domestic cricket in the last two years. Besides that, there has been a good competition to earn a place in the team and we have no complaints against selectors and don't blame them for my son being ignored for so long."

"The most important thing is that he could grab seven wickets in the match including five in the second innings on his debut Test".   

Interestingly, Nauman Ali's father is working as a secretary in Indus Coal Mine in Hyderabad and had a weekly off on Friday and therefore could watch the match with other family members at home on TV.

Nauman is one of the eight children of his parents. His two elder brothers played local cricket and younger brother Fawad has been playing Grade II cricket in Hyderabad. His two sisters and house-wife mother (Shamim Akhtar) watched Nauman's bowling spells on Friday.   

Former Pakistani cricketer Rizwan Ahmed, who played one ODI is Nauman's mentor. He also watched matches on TV at odd hours in the USA, where he is settled now.