Kamran Akmal: “Pakistan isn’t coming out of the circle, we are still thinking that Shadab has to play, so he plays. He has been playing for 2.5 years with this form and performance but this is Pakistan’s team, not some region or club”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal is confused as to why spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan keeps getting chances to play when he is out of form.
Akmal noted that the 25-year-old hasn’t performed well for the past two-and-a-half years and urged captain Babar Azam and the team management to start thinking outside the box.
“Pakistan isn’t coming out of the circle, we are still thinking that Shadab has to play, so he plays. He has been playing for 2.5 years with this form and performance but this is Pakistan’s team, not some region or club,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Geo Super.
In the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Shadab claimed three wickets at an average of 18 and an economy rate of 6.75.
However, his wickets have completely dried up since then as he failed to get anyone out in the one T20I he played against Ireland. To make matters worse, he conceded 54 runs off his four overs.
Shadab then featured in two T20Is against England and went wicketless again, while also leaking 75 runs off the seven overs he bowled.
Right now, the Mianwali native is involved in the 2024 T20 World Cup and didn’t take any wickets in the opening game against the United States of America.
As for the next two matches against India and Canada, he didn’t bowl at all.
Pakistan lost to the United States of America and India before bouncing back to take down Canada by seven wickets.
They will now be targeting another win when they go up against Ireland on June 16 in Lauderhill.
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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