Saud Shakeel: “We do not have a lot of Test matches, so I have decided to focus more on white-ball cricket. I am adjusting my game and preparing accordingly because this is where the opportunities lie now”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Pakistan middle order batsman Saud Shakeel revealed he is focusing more on white-ball cricket right now as the men in green do not have many Test matches coming up.

Shakeel is an integral member of the Test team as he has brought stability to the middle order and averages 50.24 in the format.

The 29-year-old has featured in 19 ODIs to date, but his last match came during the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Pakistan failed to make it out of the group stage.

In regards to his T20I career, Shakeel is still waiting to make his debut, but thinks he could get an opportunity in the future if he keeps putting up big scores in limited overs matches.

“We do not have a lot of Test matches, so I have decided to focus more on white-ball cricket. I am adjusting my game and preparing accordingly because this is where the opportunities lie now,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

Recently, Shakeel captained the Quetta Gladiators in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and made 237 runs in 12 matches, which included a top score of 59, at an average of 26.33 and a strike-rate of 117.32.

After PSL 10, Pakistan took on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series in Lahore and triumphed 3-0.

However, things didn’t go as well during their tour of Bangladesh as they lost the T20I series 2-1.

Pakistan’s next assignment will be a tour of the West Indies, which will comprise three T20Is and three ODIs that will be played from August 1 to 12.

Pakistan Squad for West Indies T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem

Pakistan Squad for West Indies ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem

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