Basit Ali: “Shadab Khan is required at this time. Pakistan needs a spin all-rounder”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali wants Shadab Khan to be recalled to the national team as he believes the spin-bowling all-rounder “is required at this time”.
Shadab has not played international cricket since the 2024 T20 World Cup and used to be Pakistan’s first-choice spinner and all-rounder at one point.
However, a lack of consistency in taking wickets led to him ultimately being dropped from the squad and falling out of favour with the selectors.
In his time away from the national team, Shadab has been featuring in domestic cricket.
The 26-year-old represented Rawalpindi Region in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and took 19 wickets in five matches, which included a five-wicket haul, at an average of 27.05.
He also scored 278 runs, which included three fifties, at an average of 39.71.
The Mianwali native then took part in the Champions T20 Cup, but only bowled three overs in the six games he played for the Panthers and went wicketless.
Batting-wise, he was restricted to 24 runs at an average of six.
Currently, Shadab is in action for Ghani Glass in the President’s Trophy Grade-I tournament and made scores of 30 and 9 in their match against Oil & Gas Development Company Limited. However, he failed to take a single wicket.
Considering that Shadab still has a long career ahead of him and has shown his skills with both the bat and ball, Basit stressed that he should be added to the Pakistan team again.
“Shadab Khan is required at this time. Pakistan needs a spin all-rounder,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Sports Tak.
Shadab wasn’t picked for Pakistan’s tours of Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. He was also overlooked for the two-Test series against the West Indies, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
In addition to this, he wasn’t picked for the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will take place from February 19 to March 9.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah