Shadab Khan

A great turner of the ball, Shadab Khan is one of the most promising youngsters that rose through the domestic circuit of Pakistan. The all-rounder has the ability to ball wrong’un and is also not shy to toss the ball in the air. Khan is also a handy lower-order batsman, something which he has proven time after time in the domestic arena.

He hails from the land of Pakistan legends like Imran Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq. He joined the National Cricket Academy in Lahore and continued to grow under the leadership of Abdul Qadir and Mushtaq Ahmed.

He was selected in Pakistan’s squad for the 2016 U19 World Cup, and the faith shown in him was instantly rewarded as the leggie grabbed 11 wickets from 6 matches at an astonishing average of 19. 

After some stellar performances both with the bat and the ball, Khan was drafted in by Islamabad United for the second season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he impressed everyone with his variations and finished the tournament with 9 wickets from 8 games.

He earned a maiden international call-up in 2017 in a T20I match against the Windies. The Mianwali-born made an instant impact with the ball, as the leg spinner took 3 wickets for 7 runs and rattled the opposition with his variations.

Khan was part of the Champions Trophy-winning team in 2017. He played only four matches in the tournament and picked up 4 wickets. But the special feature about Shadab was his ability to ball economical overs under pressure situations, which was clearly visible in that tournament.

In the same year, Khan proved his mettle with the bat as well, when the all-rounder scored his maiden ODI fifty against Sri Lanka. In a low-scoring affair, Khan bowled an economical spell and picked up three crucial wickets to grab the 'Man of the Match' award.

In April 2019, Khan was added to Pakistan's 2019 ODI World Cup squad. In a group stage match against South Africa, Khan registered his 50th ODI wicket. For the fifth season of the Pakistan Super League, Shadab Khan was named the captain of Islamabad United, and thus he became the youngest captain in PSL history.

A utility all-round player, Shadab is still young and has a lot to learn. The ability to take crucial wickets at an economical rate is his biggest strength. He is an excellent find for Pakistan, and it is the responsibility of the team management to make sure that Shadab Khan gets ample matches to prove his mettle.

(As of March 2021)