Andrew Puttick: “Saud is a smart cricketer with a lot of potential”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Andrew Puttick, who has been Pakistan’s batting coach, believes middle order batsman Saud Shakeel has “a lot of potential.”
Shakeel initially stamped his authority in Test cricket, where he has amassed 875 runs in seven matches, which includes two centuries and six fifties, at an average of 87.50.
He was given a chance to cement his place in the ODI team during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup and didn’t do too badly as he made 241 runs in nine games, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 34.42.
Having seen what Shakeel can do, Puttick has earmarked him for great things in the future.
“Saud is a smart cricketer with a lot of potential,” he told Geo News.
Pakistan won their first two matches against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before losing four in a row to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Even though they fought back to beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, it was not enough to earn them a spot in the semi-finals.
The men in green ended their campaign in dismal fashion as England defeated them by 93 runs.
Shakeel will now be involved in Pakistan’s three-match Test series against Australia, which will begin on December 14 in Perth.
Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi