Shadab Khan: “You always need to back your match-winners. Faheem Ashraf won us one match and now Imad Wasim did it. Never write them off, we knew their calibre”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Shadab Khan said it would be a mistake to write off Pakistan all-rounders Imad Wasim and Faheem Ashraf as they are match-winners.
His comments come after he played alongside Imad and Faheem while captaining Islamabad United to victory in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Imad, who recently reversed his retirement from international cricket, claimed 12 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 20.91 and an economy rate of 6.60.
The 35-year-old also made 126 runs, which included a top score of 59 not out, at an average of 21 and a strike-rate of 128.57.
As for Faheem, he finished with six wickets in 12 games at an average of 46 and an economy rate of 9.85.
In regards to his batting, he scored 100 runs at an average of 16.66 and a strike-rate of 129.87.
“You always need to back your match-winners. Faheem Ashraf won us one match and now Imad Wasim did it. Never write them off, we knew their calibre,” Shadab was quoted as saying by journalist Farid Khan on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Shadab had a brilliant campaign in PSL 9 as he accumulated 305 runs in 12 matches, which included three fifties, at an average of 30.50 and a strike-rate of 142.52.
He also picked up 14 wickets at an average of 26.85 and an economy rate of 8.54.
Most recently, he and Imad featured in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which ended as a 2-2 draw.
Shadab took three wickets in five matches at an average of 18 and an economy rate of 6.75, while Imad claimed one wicket in two games at an average of 37 and an economy rate of 7.40.
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