Nasser Hussain: “I love how Saud Shakeel is playing. Give him a long go. Axing a player based on his failure in two or three matches causes lost confidence. If you believe in someone, give them a long run”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said he loves the way Pakistan batsman Saud Shakeel is playing at the moment.
Shakeel put up strong performances throughout Pakistan’s home season, where they played against England and New Zealand.
In the three-Test series against England, the 27-year-old middle order batsman scored 346 runs, which included four half-centuries, at an average of 57.66.
He followed that up with 234 runs in the two Tests against New Zealand, which included a century and a fifty, at an average of 117.
With Shakeel currently on a high, Hussain urged the Pakistan selectors to keep backing him and not drop him should he fail to score runs in two or three matches.
“I love how Saud Shakeel is playing. Give him a long go. Axing a player based on his failure in two or three matches causes lost confidence. If you believe in someone, give them a long run,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Shakeel will now play for the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which will take place from February 13 to March 19 in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
The Gladiators will kick off their campaign against the Multan Sultans on February 15 in Multan.
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 8:Â Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Wanindu Hasaranga, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Ahsan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Zahid, Naveen-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Umaid Asif, Will Smeed, Aimal Khan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qais Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Dwaine Pretorius, Will Jacks and Nuwan Thushara