SHARJAH: Shadab Khan believed that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan would get a greater amount of respect from the nation and the media after the ongoing series against Afghanistan, which saw the new-look team suffering a dismal 2-0 defeat.
Pakistan T20I captain for the three T20Is against Afghanistan, Shadab, requested the people of the country to support the youngsters, saying, “we must accept one’s failures so that he can turn into a world-class player.”
“We are aware of the talent in each of these players. Nervousness is always there, every time you wear a Pakistan star. This was seen today as well,” he said in a post-match press conference on Sunday after Pakistan lost the second T20I and the first bilateral series against Afghanistan.
Shadab said conditions were totally different in Sharjah, adding, “Any team facing Afghanistan in these conditions, would have met the same fate.”
He added the motive behind sending the young team for the assignment was to prepare the bench strength.
“I am hopeful that the players will make a comeback in the next match but even if they don’t, I will keep supporting these youngsters” he expressed.
When asked whether it was the right choice to send a young team for the series without experience and key players, he replied we all used to hurl criticism at our own players, hinting at media representatives in the room.
“When Babar and Rizwan were not performing or even when they performed a sword hung over their heads in the shape of strike rates,” he said
“As a nation, we were demanding to bring these youngsters in international cricket because they had performed in the PSL and wanted them to play at a high strike rate”
“I’m all up for experiments but we all might realize how much the experience matters”
“I think they (Babar and Rizwan) were not getting the respect they deserved but after this series, they will get much more respect, from the media as well as from the nation” he believed.
It may be noted here that Afghanistan sealed a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the second T20I to claim the series 2-0.
Set to chase 131, Afghanistan accumulated 133/3 with a ball to spare, thanks to Gurbaz’s 44. The final T20I will be played today.
READ: Gurbaz stars as Afghanistan edge Pakistan to wrap up series win
