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Tag: Shadab Khan

  • Shadab Khan is not a bad choice for captaincy, says Shahid Afridi

    Shadab Khan is not a bad choice for captaincy, says Shahid Afridi

    Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes that Shadab Khan should not be dismissed as a future captain of the national team, saying that the all-rounder remains a reasonable leadership option given the current circumstances.

    Speaking on a private TV sports transmission, Afridi said that Shadab’s long working relationship with coach Mike Hesson could influence captaincy decisions if the same coaching setup continues. 

    Afridi highlighted their time together at Islamabad United as an important factor.

    “Shadab Khan and Mike Hesson have been together with Islamabad United for a long time. If the same coach stays, then Shadab Khan will become captain,” Afridi said.

    Afridi added that Pakistan does not have many strong captaincy alternatives at the moment. “I do not think Shadab Khan is a bad choice for captaincy. You do not really have any other captain available,” he said.

    He also described Shadab Khan as a key member of the team but made it clear that leadership must come with consistent performances. 

    “Shadab Khan is the backbone of the Pakistan team. You can make him captain, but he must perform so that no one gets a chance to question it,” Afridi said.

    On a separate show, former Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad strongly criticised the team management and coaching staff over selection decisions. He claimed that leg-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was kept out of the side to make room for Shadab Khan.

    Shehzad also questioned the decision to bench Abrar Ahmed, who is currently ranked second in the ICC T20 bowling rankings. “They even benched Abrar Ahmed, who is ranked second in T20s, just to play Shadab Khan,” he said.

    According to Shehzad, the coaching setup has hurt the team’s balance. He argued that if Sufiyan Muqeem plays regularly, it would become difficult for Shadab to keep his place, and said there is a clear difference between the performances of Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan.

    Shadab Khan’s form in the ongoing World Cup has also come under scrutiny. 

    He has taken five wickets in four matches while conceding 93 runs, figures that have fueled debate over his place in the side and his readiness for a leadership role at this stage.

  • Shadab Khan likely to be Pakistan’s next T20 captain: Shoaib Malik

    Shadab Khan likely to be Pakistan’s next T20 captain: Shoaib Malik

    After a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, discussions on Salman Ali Agha’s removal as captain and the appointment of all-rounder Shadab Khan as his replacement, are underway, former captain Shoaib Malik has claimed.

    “Shadab Khan’s name has started coming up for T20 team leadership. We wanted to make him captain earlier, but he was injured,” Malik said during a TV programme as Agha’s “poor leadership” and “underwhelming individual performance” at the World Cup raises questions over his captaincy.

    During the same programme, former Test cricketer Basit Ali also pointed out that Pakistan has seen many leaders in recent years. 

    “Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan have all led before, and now Salman Ali Agha is captain,” he said.

    However, Basit warned that Shadab might not be the right choice, recalling Pakistan’s loss under his leadership against Afghanistan. “He led the team in that series, and we lost to a weaker side.”

    Meanwhile, former wicketkeeping-batter Kamran Akmal questioned whether Agha was ready for captaincy in the first place. 

    “In the Asia Cup and World Cup, his highest score as captain in 12 matches is 32 runs. PCB should appoint a captain who leads from the front and performs because when the captain shows performance, the team performs better too,” he said.

    Sports analyst Najeeb Al-Hussain added that any captaincy decision must consider the player’s place in the team. He explained that rumors about Shadab becoming captain also surfaced earlier as a way to gauge public reaction. 

    “This time too, the news is released to see the temperature,” he said.

    It is worth noting that Shadab Khan’s own performance in the ongoing World Cup has also not been up to the mark. He has only taken five wickets in four matches while conceding 93 runs, raising further doubts about his suitability for leadership at this stage.

  • Internet reacts to Shadab Khan, Usman Khan’s return to squad while ‘ignoring domestic performers’

    Internet reacts to Shadab Khan, Usman Khan’s return to squad while ‘ignoring domestic performers’

    Social media erupted with criticism after Shadab Khan’s return and Usman Khan’s inclusion in Pakistan’s T20 squad, with users questioning why domestic performers like Maaz Sadaqat, Hassan Nawaz and Sufyan Muqeem face exclusion.

    Shadab Khan’s comeback after recovering from injury dominated social media trends as Pakistan announced its T20 squad for the Sri Lanka series on Sunday. The all-rounder’s sudden inclusion sparked surprise and criticism across platforms.

    Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns. “Shadab Khan returns as Pakistan name T20I squad for Sri Lanka series but Domestic performers Maaz Sadaqat and Sufyan Muqeem missing,” he wrote.

    The selectors included the bowling all-rounder in the squad despite several young players delivering strong domestic performances. 

    Shadab currently plays in the Big Bash League, where he receives limited batting opportunities. The selectors picked him after he recovered from shoulder surgery.

    The squad also includes aggressive young wicketkeeper-batsman Khawaja Nafay, who earned his first national T20 call-up. 

    The selectors also picked Usman Khan, who has scored 335 runs in 27 T20I matches with a strike rate of just 120. 

    With Khawaja Nafay also keeping wickets, Usman Khan’s inclusion as a second wicketkeeper raises questions since he does not offer extraordinary batting ability to justify the spot.

    Social media users expressed strong reactions to the selection decisions.

    “Maaz Sadaqat ko khilana chahiye tha (They should have played Maaz Sadaqat),” one user wrote.

    Another user questioned multiple omissions: “Abbas Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem, Hassan Nawaz???”

    “Sufyan hogya sideline great bro great,” a frustrated user commented, highlighting Muqeem’s sidelining.

    One user drew comparisons between established and emerging players: “Naseem and Shadab getting chances without any performance meanwhile talent like Sufyan Muqeem getting ignored.”

    Several users questioned the selection outright. “Why Shadab?” one person asked.

    “Where is Babar?” another user wondered, noting other prominent absences.

    The three-match series begins on January 7 with the first T20I, followed by the second match on January 9 and the final T20I on January 11.

  • Shadab Khan shines in Sydney Thunder debut with all-round display

    Shadab Khan shines in Sydney Thunder debut with all-round display

    Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan marked his return to T20 cricket with an impressive all-round performance on his Sydney Thunder debut in the Big Bash League (BBL), scoring 34 runs off 24 balls and claiming 2 wickets for 36 runs.

    The performance marks a significant comeback for Shadab, who returns to T20 cricket after a seven-month break. 

    However, Sydney Thunder lost the match to Hobart Hurricanes by 4 wickets despite Shadab’s contributions with both bat and ball.

    While Shadab delivered a strong debut, other Pakistani stars in the BBL have struggled to find their rhythm in the opening matches.

    Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi endured a nightmare BBL debut on Monday when umpires stopped him from bowling after he delivered two beamers in his third over for Brisbane Heat. 

    The left-arm pacer struggled to control his line and length, conceding 43 runs in just 2.4 overs without taking a wicket before officials intervened.

    Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam also had a bad start to his BBL campaign two days ago, scoring just 2 runs off 5 balls before losing his wicket against Brisbane Heat in his opening match for Sydney Thunder.

    Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan on Monday, representing Melbourne Renegades, managed only 4 runs off 10 balls before getting dismissed in his debut.

    Seven Pakistani players feature in this year’s BBL season: Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat), Babar Azam (Sydney Thunder), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars), Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers), and Usama Mir (Melbourne Renegades).

    The Big Bash League runs across various venues in Australia, including Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane, Canberra, and Geelong. 

    The tournament began on December 15, 2024, and will conclude with the final on January 27, 2025.

  • Shadab Khan appointed brand ambassador of Punjab Police

    Shadab Khan appointed brand ambassador of Punjab Police

    Punjab Police has appointed Shadab Khan, the all-rounder of the Pakistan Cricket Team, as its brand ambassador.

    Shadab Khan met Inspector General (IG) Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar, on this occasion the national cricketer was given the rank of honorary Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Shadab saluted and thanked IG Punjab for appointing an honorary DSP.

    While stating on social media, Shadab Khan said “I am happy that he is becoming a part of the Punjab Police, IG Punjab and police department made me honorary DSP. I am proud of it, I encourage my future generation to join government departments and serve the country.”

  • Injury forces Shadab Khan out of New Zealand tour

    Injury forces Shadab Khan out of New Zealand tour

    All-rounder Shadab Khan has been ruled out of Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand.

    According to details, Shadab Khan suffered a foot injury which will take four more weeks to heal.

    Shadab Khan was injured while playing against Sialkot at United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex Karachi on December 3, spraining his leg while fielding in the match. A video surfaced online showing Khan being carried out of the ground while sitting on his teammate’s back.

    Pakistan will play five T20 matches in New Zealand in January 2024 while the first match will be played on January 12 in Auckland.

  • PCB unhappy with injured Shadab Khan walking out on teammate’s shoulder

    PCB unhappy with injured Shadab Khan walking out on teammate’s shoulder

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed displeasure over how an injured Shadab Khan was carried off the field on the back of a fellow cricketer. Shadab Khan sprained his leg during a National T20 match in Karachi. A video surfaced online, showing him being carried out on the shoulders of his teammate.

    PCB is reportedly puzzled as to why Shadab was carried by his teammates instead of being carried out on a stretcher despite all necessary medical facilities being available at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex in Karachi.

    The Board is very concerned about the actions of the Rawalpindi team management. An inquiry has been started while PCB is considering issuing a show cause notice to the team management responsible for the incident.

    The incident took place two days ago during a match between Rawalpindi and Sialkot at the UBL Sports Complex, raising questions over the decision to carry Shadab Khan on the back of his teammate while adequate medical equipment, including a stretcher, was readily available at the ground. The PCB is investigating the matter.

  • Shadab Khan jokingly reveals reason for poor fielding

    Shadab Khan jokingly reveals reason for poor fielding

    After the warm-up match against Australia yesterday, Pakistan’s acting captain Shadab Khan was asked about Hyderabadi biryani. He jokingly said, “We are eating it every day, maybe that’s why we are a little slow on the field.”

    Shadab Khan, captain of the warm-up match, told Harsha Bhogle (Indian cricket commentator and journalist) that the team is enjoying their time in Hyderabad. Shadab also highlighted the positive aspects of both the warm-up games.

    “The result is not important, we learned a lot of positive things. When you play against Australia and New Zealand you get confidence, and we got a bit of experience with the conditions.”

    It should be noted that the Pakistan Cricket team is now in India to play the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Pakistan will play its first match against the Netherlands on Friday, October 6.

    Read More: Video about incompetence of Indian Cricket Board goes viral

  • Pakistani team’s wholesome welcome in India is winning the internet

    Pakistani team’s wholesome welcome in India is winning the internet

    The Pakistani cricket team landed in Hyderabad, India on Wednesday to play in World Cup 2023. Videos of the overwhelming crowds that came to greet the team have set the internet on fire. Fans can be seen shouting the names of Babar, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi. In some pictures, police men can be seen trying to take selfies with the cricket stars. This display of love for our boys in green on the other side of the border has moved social media to tears.

    Many were happy to witness politics and rivalry being set aside for the love of cricket that had united India and Pakistan. And soon the viral videos got a lot of appreciation from social media users.

  • Babar Azam named ICC Men’s Player of the Month

    Babar Azam named ICC Men’s Player of the Month

    Pakistan captain Babar Azam was crowned ICC (International Cricket Council) player of the month of August on Tuesday. Babar Azam was shortlisted for Player of the Month along with Pakistani all-rounder Shadab Khan and West Indian Wicketkeeper batsman Nicholas Pooran.

    Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam and all-rounder Shadab Khan have been shortlisted for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player of the Month award. The award is based on recent performances in the last month from day 1 to the last day of the month.

    Pakistani skipper Babar Azam is aiming to become the first men’s category cricketer to win three ICC Player of the Month awards. West-Indies Wicket keeper Nicholas Pooran is also nominated for the ICC Player of the Month Award along with Babar and Shadab.

    Babar Azam recently scored 53 and 60 runs against Afghanistan and 151 runs against Nepal in the first match of Asia Cup 2023.

    Shadab Khan is shortlisted for the first time as the ICC Player of the Month award after his recent performances with bat and ball. Shadab Khan took three wickets against Afghanistan in the last ODI match and four wickets against Nepal in the opening match of Asia Cup 2023.

    Nicholas Pooran is also nominated for the first time as the ICC Player of the Month award. He scored 176 runs against India in five T20 matches series and led the team to win the series by 3-2.

    Read More: Which teams will play the final if rain interrupts matches

    These shortlisted players are then voted for by fans around the world and by an independent ICC voting academy.

    The ICC Voting Academy comprises former players, well-known journalists, broadcasters, and members of the ICC Hall of Fame.

    ICC Voting Academy has 90% of the voting shares while the remaining 10% shares of the fans. Fans can register their vote on the official website of ICC. The winners of the month are announced every second Monday of each month.