Mohammad Hafeez: “Shadab stands as the sole hope and we need to boost his confidence as he possesses batting abilities. We should utilise him as a batting all-rounder rather than primarily a bowling all-rounder”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan team director and interim head coach Mohammad Hafeez believes spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan is the “sole hope” for the national team’s middle order woes.
Hafeez wants the selectors and team management to start utilising Shadab as a batting all-rounder and promote him up the order as he has shown he is capable of scoring runs.
In the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL), the 25-year-old led by example while captaining Islamabad United to the coveted trophy.
Shadab scored 305 runs in 12 matches, which included three fifties, at an average of 30.50 and a strike-rate of 142.52.
The Mianwali native also took 14 wickets at an average of 26.85 and an economy rate of 8.54.
“Shadab stands as the sole hope and we need to boost his confidence as he possesses batting abilities. We should utilise him as a batting all-rounder rather than primarily a bowling all-rounder,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Shadab is now part of the Pakistan team for the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand and finished with figures of 2-15 off three overs in the second T20I, which the men in green won by seven wickets.
Pakistan are 1-0 up going into the third T20I, which will take place on April 21 in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan
Non-travelling reserves: Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha
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