Shadab Khan: Shaheen Could Have Been Given A Longer Run As Pakistan Captain | T20 World Cup 2024
Over the years, Pakistan have been blessed with many versatile cricketers. Shadab Khan sits squarely in their ranks. Having played the last of his six Test matches in August 2020, Shadab Khan has established himself as an integral part of Pakistan’s white-ball sides. He has also carved out a successful career in franchise cricket, most recently leading Islamabad United to their third PSL title, making them the most successful side in the competition’s short history.
Pakistan are coming off a defeat in the T20I series in England, but morale and unity remain high in the camp going into the World Cup. Shadab spoke candidly with Amer Malik ahead of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign. This interview has been translated from Urdu.
Do you have ambitions to be seen as a batting all-rounder? No, most definitely not, I consider myself to be a spin-bowling all-rounder. Some of my recent batting performances have probably been indicative of that [change], hence why some people assume that to be the case, I can assure you that I’m not. My primary aim is for me to focus on all three main principles in cricket, and to help the team, and not simply just focus on one.
Mentors play a crucial role in the lives of sports professionals. Regarding your own game, how have they aided you? Social media criticism can bring a sportsperson down in this day and age, so getting the right support and advice is essential. Even if you possess the necessary technical abilities, playing at the highest level on the international scene requires mental toughness and strength, hence why it is critical to have the right support and understanding of good mentors who can guide you and help you maintain a positive mindset.
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have had excellent mentors such as Saqi bhai [Saqlain Mushtaq, now Shadab’s father-in-law] and Rehan [Ul Haq] bhai at Islamabad United. So, whenever I’m down they really help. As you know in international cricket one can experience failure, so it’s essential to have the right guidance, as well as good coping measures in place. In the complex environment of international cricket, a mentor is a crucial part of your strategy.
You batted at No.4 in the most recent PSL, which worked well for Islamabad. However, Pakistan have handed you more of a floating role in recent games. Which position do you think suits you best in international cricket, or is it dependent on the match situation? For me, I feel I can contribute more by batting in the top order, as recent performances have shown that the sides have benefitted when batting higher. For Islamabad, this provided us with more options and allowed us to utilise more of our resources depending on the conditions. Every player wishes he or she could play in the top order, me included: it’s where I feel I perform to my optimum, though for Pakistan I have always played lower down the order, and Alhamdulillah I have gained respect in whichever position I play. Though my wish is to play higher, however I’m happy to play wherever the side and match situation requires me to do so.
The team spent ten hard days at an army camp in Kakul, northern Pakistan, just before the Ireland series. What were the positives, and if any negatives, of this experience? The camp was really helpful in terms of fitness, but I believe – and I might be wrong – that it might have been timed much better, given that many of the players had recently played quite a substantial amount of cricket. Don’t get me wrong: there was enough training and drills and a good conducive atmosphere, but not all of the players could participate as some were undergoing physical rehabilitation, which they continued here.
Prior to the New Zealand series there was another change of captaincy, with Babar Azam taking back over from Shaheen Shah Afridi. How did this affect morale within the side, and does it make any difference to you personally who leads the side? From Shaheen’s point of view, things shouldn’t have changed so rapidly; instead, a system or adequate process should have been in place to ensure consistency and provide consistent results. Unfortunately, due to injury I didn’t play under Shaheen, so when I returned, I was still playing under Babar, and things were relatively the same for me. Looking at it from Shaheen’s perspective, maybe he could have been given a longer run in the role. However, having Babar back also provides us with an experienced captain, so not much has changed to make it harder for me.
What are your own thoughts about the upcoming T20 World Cup being held in the USA and West Indies? Do you think it will bring any unique challenges compared to previous tournaments? I played in the Major League Cricket last year, expecting there to be sufficient difference in conditions and ground sizes, though, to my surprise it wasn’t too dissimilar to other grounds around the world, flat tracks, and small boundaries. We’re quite familiar to conditions in the West Indies, and mostly know what to expect, though the US could be slightly different; yet not expecting much after my experience in MLC.
Which teams do you consider the toughest competitors in the tournament? Since any competent side may defeat any other side on any given day, there isn’t really a big team as such in this format to be honest. There’s no special preparation for India; but, as was already noted, having the correct mindset is crucial, since it is more about which team can withstand the mental pressure on game day. Jokingly, I’d say Australia is a tough opponent! Although they don’t appear particularly formidable on paper, their tenacious winning mentality enables them to give teams a difficult time in every event – and ultimately win most. England are one of the best in this format: after all they are defending champions after winning the last tournament.
Where do you assess the overall strength and balance of the Pakistan cricket team going into theT20 World Cup? Which areas do you think the team needs to focus on to maximize its chances of success? For me in both batting and bowling, the middle overs are particularly important, for us to be successful, and as in the recent past vital for us to take wickets during that period of play. In batting if we utilize those overs, it improves our chances of success, and we have tried to collectively adapt our game with this attacking mindset and approach.
Are there any particular adjustments or improvements you have observed in your personal game, or the team’s general performance – under the new coaching staff (Azhar Mahmood and Gary Kirsten) and how has this aided in preparing for the World Cup? Gary Kirsten has only joined the team, so for the moment we can remove him from the equation. Aju bhai [Azhar Mahmood], previously the bowling coach for us and for Islamabad, is now back with the Pakistan side as head coach. That adds value and continuity, though from a cultural point of view, it can initially be difficult to understand the psyche of a new coach, and you need time to adjust and synchronise your thought process and approach. I do think things are moving more positively under the coaching setup, though as with anything in life it takes time. For me I feel the need to improve my bowling in the middle overs: if I take wickets in that period then I believe it can contribute to the team’s success – and with both Aju bhai and Gary together I can only see it benefitting me in my ongoing development as a player.
Considering the T20 format’s fast-paced nature, what role do you think the younger players in the team will play, which of these emerging players do you expect to have an impact? Saim Ayub is one such player, an exceptional talent, impactful, and we shouldn’t judge him too quickly on his international performances, nor should we question his ability. He is among those people whose immense talent is known throughout Pakistan. He needs a long run, as there isn’t enough time in domestic cricket to develop and nurture a player’s talent, so spending longer in the international setup will help develop such players and achieve their full potential. In Saim’s case, he is definitely a future superstar, and we should back him to the hilt. Another is Azam Khan, who has experience, and we know what value he can provide the team and having played alongside him for a substantial amount of time. He is, for me, currently Pakistan’s best player in the middle overs. You have to also accept that impactful players have a higher risk of failure due to the nature of their game, and as such these type of players should be backed and not discarded after a few performances – they need time and space to develop their own self-belief around their abilities. In bowling, Abbas Afridi has had a decent start and is another one with a bright prospect. Ihsanullah is another talent who was sadly injured and then lost in the complexities of the Pakistan cricket system. We can only pray for his return to form and once again serve Pakistan and achieve his full potential, Inshallah.
Is there a message would you like to give to the fans and supporters of Pakistan cricket as you embark on this important journey – especially with all the recent instability in the background? We know the fans from around the world love Pakistan cricket, some have individual favorites in the team. Likely due to the popularity of the PSL, we’ve witnessed the emergence of specific fan clubs on social media, symbolically battling among themselves. This is not what we want; neither do we consider it a sensible or mature approach to supporting Pakistan. When we play for Pakistan, we work together as a team and in unison, and we want the fans to follow suit. If we, as Pakistan, enter the World Cup as one, then Inshallah, God will guide us on a successful path. Some people pray for our failure, while others hope for our success. Unity is key to the latter, and everyone must be on the same page moving ahead. There’s nothing wrong with following individual players, but if you want to support Pakistan, do it for the team, after all it is your team – it does not belong to anyone else. Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
