Fawad Alam: “I feel that currently, there is no one better than him in the middle order. We have to trust him to perform and deliver in the future”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Veteran cricketer Fawad Alam believes Saud Shakeel is Pakistan’s best middle order batsman at the moment.
Shakeel has delivered numerous impressive performances, especially in Test cricket, where he currently averages 60.43.
The 28-year-old is starting to be utilised in ODIs as well and had a couple of strong games in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Recently, he made 92 runs in Pakistan’s three-match Test series against Australia at an average of 15.33, but Fawad urged the selectors to keep trusting him as it will pay dividends in the future.
“I feel that currently, there is no one better than him in the middle order. We have to trust him to perform and deliver in the future,” Fawad told Cricket Pakistan.
Shakeel was not picked for Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which the men in green lost 4-1.
His next assignment will be the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he will represent the Quetta Gladiators.
PSL 9 will be held from February 17 to March 18 in four cities – Lahore, Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi.
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 9: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Rilee Rossouw, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Jason Roy, Wanindu Hasaranga (partially available), Bismillah Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain, Will Smeed, Sherfane Rutherford, Mohammad Amir, Saud Shakeel, Sajjad Ali Jnr, Usman Qadir, Omair Bin Yousuf, Adil Naz, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Akeal Hosein, Sohail Khan, Laurie Evans
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