Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan opened up about his recent struggle to find the purple patch with the bat and ball on the international circuit. Shadab is enjoying a memorable debut in Lanka Premier League Season 5 with the Colombo Strikers. In his very first game, he snared a hat-trick against the Kandy Falcons and has since thrived in the conditions, picking up 16 wickets, the most by any bowler so far in this LPL season. As the LPL caravan moved from Dambulla to Colombo, Shadab picked up his third four-wicket haul of the tournament against the Jaffna Kings at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

As Shadab continues to rewrite record books, he opened up about his struggle to deliver for the Pakistan team.

“I was struggling for three months. I hadn’t taken a wicket in the last seven international games. I came here, started bowling and am now always taking wickets. That is the beauty of cricket. You have to enjoy these types of scenarios as well… sometimes you perform, sometimes you don’t. But the process that you follow has to be consistent,” Shadab said, as quoted from a press release by LPL.

Shadab recalled his first outing in the league and expressed that the pitch was helpful for spinners. But he went on to add that a T20 bowler requires variations to be successful across conditions.

“The pitch was helping us as it was a bit slow and gripping a bit… But T20 cricket is very hard nowadays, as 200 is easily changeable. As a spinner, you have to have your variations because on flat tracks, if you don’t have variations, you can go for runs. But if you have variation, you can take wickets as well as contain runs. So that is very important, and it is also important that you land it in a good area,” Shadab added.

The 25-year-old stated his intention to contribute as an all-rounder across all departments of the game for his franchise, the Colombo Strikers.

“I am performing for my team, and that is a good sign. I am the main bowler, and if I am taking wickets, that is a positive sign for me and my team. I want to contribute in all three phases. So far, I am contributing in two as a bowler and fielder. Hopefully, I can contribute with the bat too,” Shadab concluded.

Pakistan World Cup winner Mushtaq Ahmed praised under-fire Pakistan captain Babar Azam, and stated that he requires contributions from the rest of the players. He went on to ask that more respect be shown towards Babar. Babar and the rest of the Pakistan team were heavily criticised by former players, experts and fans as Pakistan crashed out of the 2024 T20 World Cup after the group stage. However, Mushtaq Ahmed rushed to Babar’s defence, stating that he has increased his aggression.

“Babar’s intent has definitely changed in the past year. He has shown aggression in his batting. If a person can improve so much, I think that’s enough,” Mushtaq said to Cricket Pakistan.

“Other players also have a duty to score runs; they have a role to play too. If one person gives you a score, but the rest of our players don’t go on to score in the remaining 7-8 overs, then there’s a problem,” he added.

“This has been happening for 3-4 years. They (other players except Babar) only score when it doesn’t make a significant impact,” stated Mushtaq.

Babar was Pakistan’s top runscorer in the 2024 T20 World Cup, scoring 122 runs in four games, but at a strike rate of just 101.66. Mohammad Rizwan, who scored the second-most runs, had a strike rate of just 90.90.

Mushtaq called for people to respect Babar more, and not forget his contributions to Pakistan cricket.

“If we talk about Babar, there’s a reason why people respect him worldwide. He brings honour to Pakistan. I think sometimes people are very hard on him,” said Mushtaq.

Babar Azam currently ranks among ICC’s top 5 batsmen in all three formats; No. 1 in ODIs, No. 3 in Tests and No. 4 in T20Is.

Despite a rocky T20 World Cup campaign, Babar is expected to retain captaincy, with the ‘major surgery’ earlier promised by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi reportedly unlikely.

File image of Babar Azam (right) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.© AFP

Many Pakistan cricketers jumped to the rescue of Haris Rauf, after a video went viral online, where the pacer is seen engaged in a heated squabble with a fan. After Pakistan’s group stage exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, a fan was caught on camera in an argument with Haris Rauf, having allegedly thrown insults at the player’s family. Rauf’s teammates Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali, as well as Ahmed Shehzad, took to social media to address the behaviour of the fans.

“Let’s keep the debate respectful and considerate of the players’ families. Let’s promote love, peace and respect for the GAME,” tweeted fellow pacer Hasan Ali.

Shadab Khan was firmer with his words, criticising the fans’ behaviour towards the cricketers.

“It is not OKAY to attack anyone personally in their family’s presence, unacceptable. How would you feel if someone attacked you personally while with family?” posted Shadab on X.

A heated argument between Haris Rauf and a fan in the USA. pic.twitter.com/d2vt8guI1m

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 18, 2024

I’ve seen a video circulating online about Harry @HarisRauf14 and I urge all my dearest cricket fans to remember that criticism can be constructive without being hurtful. Let’s keep the debate respectful and considerate of the players’ families. Let’s promote love, peace and…

— Hassan Ali (@RealHa55an) June 18, 2024

It is the right of fans to criticise us for performances. We accept it and try to learn from it. It is not OKAY to attack anyone personally in their family’s presence, unacceptable. How would u feel if someone attacked u personally while with family? #HarisRauf @HarisRauf14

— Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) June 18, 2024

Rizwan’s post, however, triggered a major row, as he mentioned that it didn’t matter if the fan was from India or Pakistan, despite the fact that it was cleared by the fan himself that he was from Pakistan.

It is irrelevant whether the person who disrespected Haris Rauf was from Pakistan or India. What truly matters is that this individual lacked values and manners. No one has the right to disrespect any human being, especially in front of their family members. Such appalling…

— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) June 18, 2024

Rizwan received criticism on social media for bringing India into the debate despite there being no involvement from any Indian fan.

Absolutely unnecessary to mention ‘India’ here when that fan himself claimed he’s from Pakistan.

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 18, 2024

Discarded Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has been the talk of the town on social mediathe last few weeks, criticising Babar Azam and the Pakistan cricket team. However, even he expressed his dislike for the events that had unfolded.

“As cricket fans, you can criticise the performance of players and their actions on the field. No one has the right to ridicule a player or their family, always respect their privacy,” said Shehzad.

As cricket fans, you can criticise the performance of players and their actions on the field. No one has the right to ridicule a player or their family, always respect their privacy. Criticise them for grouping in the team, for their friendships which has kept deserving players…

— Ahmad Shahzad (@iamAhmadshahzad) June 18, 2024

“Criticise them for grouping in the team, for their friendships which has kept deserving players out, for prioritising personal milestones over country’s collective success, and for the betterment of Pakistan cricket only,” he added.

Pakistan’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup – losses to USA and India leading to their early exit – has not gone down well among former Pakistan cricketers and experts, with many calling for a change in the team. However, after the attack on Rauf’s family, the players made sure that such behaviour remains inexcusable.

Babar Azam and five other players have decided to spend their holidays in London.© AFP

Pakistan’s former players are not expecting the team to do well in the T20 World Cup starting in the Americas from Saturday. Pakistan lost a T20I in Ireland and then suffered a 0-2 defeat in England this week, not the ideal result before a global event. Before that, they drew 2-2 at home with a New Zealand side that was missing many of its World Cup squad members. “They are not getting their combination right, which is their biggest problem,” former captain Rashid Latif said.

He feels Pakistan need to not only shuffle their batting but make more use of their spinners.

“Not only shuffle, but players need to be prepared to play at floating roles now in T20 cricket as per the match situation,” he added.

The legendary Javed Miandad is banking on the unpredictability factor.

“They are unpredictable and always seem to do well in these T20 World Cups. But yes, they need to definitely improve in some areas quickly because, with a 20-team event, you can’t afford to relax even in one game,” he said.

Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam said in his post-match conference at the Oval that although it was disappointing to lose the series to England, the World Cup will be a different challenge.

“We have capable (and) talented players, and we will come good in the World Cup,” he said.

Many cricket fans are not happy with the selection or performance of Azam Khan, who was dismissed cheaply at the Oval and dropped two catches.

Azam, who has followed in the footsteps of his father, Moin Khan, as a wicketkeeper-batter, has been trolled mercilessly on social media since Thursday.

But it is not just Azam who has been a disappointment. All-rounder Shadab Khan has also been struggling for runs, as has Iftikhar Ahmed, who has failed to make any impact while batting down the order.

The bowlers also have been having too many of -days, with pacer Naseem Shah going for 25 in an over in the power play at The Oval, while Mohammad Amir conceded 28 in two overs.

Some officials in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are worried that if the team doesn’t reach the World Cup semi-finals, the fan base will take a big hit, which would not help the board in its preparations for the Champions Trophy next year.

“If the team does not perform well, it is no secret it has a big effect on the number of sponsors and broadcasters lining up to invest in Pakistan cricket,” an official said.

“I think Babar just needs to bat at number three, and they should make Saim (Ayub) or Fakhar (Zaman) open with Mohammad Rizwan,” suggested former player Basit Ali. PTI Corr AYG AH AH

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan‘s form has been a point of concern for the team heading into the T20 World Cup in the Americas. In his last two T20I outings, Shadab has leaked 109 runs at an economy rate of over 12, while also remaining wicketless. Before their opening game of the tournament against USA on June 6, Pakistan only have one official game left to play as the first and third T20Is of their four-match series against England were washed out.

On Tuesday, Shadab had an awkward interaction with a female fan in Cardiff. In a viral video, the fan questioned Shadab regarding his recent form.

In the video, the female fan urged Shadab that he needs to take wickets and stop leaking runs. 

“Aap chakkay kyun kha rahe hain? Form mein wapis aayein. Wicketein leni hai aapne (Why are you conceding sixes? Get your form back. You need to pick wickets),” a female fan can be seen asking Shadab in a viral video.

“ap chakay kyun kha rahe hain form mein wapis ayein wicktein leni hain ap ne” so real https://t.co/YxGCAoc6O7 pic.twitter.com/5DmS5kfXx3

— noor (@pctobssessed) May 28, 2024

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s World Cup preparations were again dented by bad weather as the third international in Cardiff on Tuesday was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The woeful scenes in the Welsh capital followed another complete washout in the first of this four-match T20 series at Headingley.

England remain 1-0 up with one to play at The Oval on Thursday after a 23-run win in at Edgbaston but this latest abandonment came just a week before they begin their T20 World Cup title defence against Scotland in Barbados on June 4. 

Rain in Cardiff on Tuesday started to fall steadily an hour before the scheduled 11:30 PM (IST) start, with a capacity 15,600 crowd expected at Sophia Gardens. 

But the bad weather delayed the toss, with the pitch and square at Sophia Gardens remaining fully covered.

And minutes after a 1:10 AM (IST) inspection, the umpires abandoned the match due to a saturated outfield and persistent rain.

The teams will now travel to London for Thursday’s finale at The Oval in the hope of one last chance for competitive action ahead of the T20 World Cup. 

Pakistan, the 2009 T20 World Cup winners, start this year’s tournament against co-hosts the United States in Dallas on June 6.

(With AFP Inputs)