Shadab Khan: “I talked to him in the nets and said, brother world-class players just need shots. For us, we need innings, but these types of players just need one shot”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan said captain Babar Azam just needs one shot to find his form and get going.
Azam had been struggling late last year, especially during the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he failed to have a major impact throughout the tournament.
However, speaking to the 28-year-old in the nets, Shadab told him that he is better than world-class because he can be back to his very best with just one shot.
“I talked to him in the nets and said, brother world-class players just need shots. For us, we need innings, but these types of players just need one shot,” he told Sky Sports as quoted by Cricwick.
Azam recently scored 226 runs in the two-Test series against New Zealand, which included a superb 161, at an average of 56.50.
He followed that up with 149 runs in the three-match ODI series, which included two fifties, at an average of 49.66.
But, with both Tests finishing as a draw and New Zealand winning the ODI series 2-1, Azam may no longer captain Pakistan in all three formats.
It is understood that a split captaincy model will be adopted. One of the names that has come into the spotlight is top order Shan Masood, but it is important to note that nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
Azam will now captain the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is scheduled to be held from February 13 to March 19.
Shadab, meanwhile, will lead Islamabad United in PSL 8, which will be played in four cities in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
The Zalmi will begin their campaign against the Karachi Kings on February 14, while Islamabad United’s first game will be against the Kings on February 16.
Islamabad United Squad for PSL 8:Â Alex Hales, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Colin Munro, Paul Stirling, Rumman Raees, Sohaib Maqsood, Hassan Nawaz, Zeeshan Zamir, Moeen Ali and Mubasir Khan, Tom Curran, Zafar Gohar, Gus Atkinson and Tymal Mills
Peshawar Zalmi Squad for PSL 8:Â Babar Azam, Rovman Powell, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Arshad Iqbal, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Haris, Aamer Jamal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Saim Ayub, Salman Irshad, Usman Qadir, Haseebullah Khan, Sufyan Muqeem, James Neesham, Khurram Shahzad, Haris Sohail and Richard Gleeson