Rashid Latif: “The management and Babar Azam need to make a decision. Shadab Khan can be prepared for Test cricket but the decision lies with them at the end of the day”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif has urged captain Babar Azam and the team management to prepare spinner Shadab Khan for Test cricket.

Shadab has not played the longest format since August 2020, but has been a consistent perform for the men in green in limited overs cricket.

Latif pointed out that Pakistan “are lacking in the spin department” in Tests, and feels that Shadab could be the answer to solving this problem.

“It is ultimately down to confidence but we are lacking in the spin department. The management and Babar Azam need to make a decision. Shadab Khan can be prepared for Test cricket but the decision lies with them at the end of the day,” he told Cricket Pakistan.

Pakistan are currently in Christchurch, where they are taking part in a T20 tri-series against New Zealand and Bangladesh.

They will then feature in the 2022 T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia and get underway on October 16.

Pakistan’s Squad for T20 Tri-Series against New Zealand and Bangladesh: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Shan Masood, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Khushdil Shah, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr

Pakistan’s 2022 T20 World Cup squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir

Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani

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