Usman Qadir: “It is not my job to say that Shadab [Khan] did not perform. Whichever player you don’t like, you say that he is playing on friendship quota”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Usman Qadir has refused to talk bad about fellow Pakistan spinner Shadab Khan, saying it is not his job to say the 25-year-old hasn’t performed well.
Shadab has been struggling to take wickets in international cricket as he last dismissed a batsman in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand in April 2024.
Most recently, the Mianwali native was in action in the 2024 T20 World Cup and went wicketless in the four games he played.
In fact, Shadab didn’t even bowl in Pakistan’s clashes against India and Canada.
Despite Shadab’s struggles with the ball, Qadir opted not to criticise him like many others have.
“It is not my job to say that Shadab [Khan] did not perform. Whichever player you don’t like, you say that he is playing on friendship quota,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan lost to the United States of America and India in the T20 World Cup before fighting back to beat Canada and Ireland.
However, those two wins went in vain as the men in green were eliminated in the group stage of the competition.
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