Mickey Arthur: “You know our spin bowling department certainly led by Shadab Khan is good enough to win us games in cricket”
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Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan team director, has made it abundantly clear that Shadab Khan is the leader of the spin attack.
Shadab has not been at his best lately, but his spot is seemingly safe as he is the limited overs vice-captain.
To further assure that he won’t be axed, Arthur reiterated his backing for the 24-year-old as he knows the Mianwali native is a match-winner on his day.
“You know our spin bowling department certainly led by Shadab Khan is good enough to win us games in cricket,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Shadab was not part of Pakistan’s side for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, but he did take four wickets at an average of 23.75 in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.
Most recently, he played in the Asia Cup and finished with six wickets in five games at an average of 40.83.
Pakistan began their campaign in dominant fashion as they demolished Nepal by 238 runs before being forced to share one point apiece with India after their match was rained off.
Even though this happened, the men in green qualified for the Super Four stage and crushed Bangladesh by seven wickets.
However, their unbeaten run was stopped when India thrashed them by 228 runs.
Pakistan still had a chance of reaching the Asia Cup final after this, but could not get it done as they lost to Sri Lanka by two wickets via the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method (DLS) method.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir