Emerging Pakistani cricketer Shamyl Hussain shared insights into his cricketing journey, which is deeply rooted in his family's passion for the game, in an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan.

"My father played a bit of first-class cricket, but unfortunately, he got injured before I was born," Hussain recounted.

Shamyl's cricketing journey began early, with his progression through youth levels under the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"My father loved cricket, and my uncles also played the sport. I started playing with a hard ball at the age of six or seven, even though my official journey began at U13. My family and I used to play cricket together in our lawn, and gradually, I progressed to playing U13 cricket for PCB, followed by three years in U16, and then three years in U19. Last year, I played in the Asia Cup, then the World Cup, and eventually the PSL," he shared.

The 19-year-old is the son of renowned Pakistani journalist Talat Hussain. He emphasized that his father's profession as a journalist did not aid his cricketing path, stressing the importance of hard work.

"My father's profession has no connection with mine. He's a journalist, and I'm a cricketer. Cricket is a fair game; if you don't work hard, you can't progress. It doesn’t matter who your father is," he stated.

Reflecting on his favorite innings, Shamyl mentioned his match-winning 75-run knock against Afghanistan in the 2023 Under-19 Asia Cup. "My favorite inning was in the Asia Cup against Afghanistan, where I made 75 runs. That inning got me into the Pakistan Super League. The next day, the PSL draft came, and Islamabad United picked me," he recounted.

The left-hand batter was part of the Islamabad United team that won their third PSL trophy this year. Although he didn’t get a game he enjoyed being part of the franchise.

"Being part of the PSL was an unbelievable experience. I am thankful to Islamabad United for picking me. My family was overjoyed. It was such a great time, playing alongside players you look up to. Winning was a different experience altogether, especially when Hunain [Shah] scored the last run, and the fireworks went off. It was an overall unbelievable experience," he said.

Shamyl was particularly impressed by the environment at Islamabad United.

"The atmosphere at Islamabad United was very positive. There was no distinction between seniors and juniors; everyone was equal. It was a very friendly environment, like elder brothers," he noted.

Regarding his long-term goals, Shamyl expressed his desire to play for Pakistan but with a unique approach.

"My long-term goals are obviously to play for Pakistan, but I have a bit of a different approach. I want to show the world my ability, the hard work I've put in since childhood, whether it's on any stage, league, or national team. I want to enjoy cricket and not play it like a job," he emphasized.