Pakistan cricketer questions Shadab Khan’s selection for New Zealand tour

Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has criticized Shadab Khan for his underwhelming performance in the first T20I against New Zealand, questioning the merit behind his selection in the squad.

Shadab, who made his comeback in the series as the vice-captain, had a forgettable outing in the series opener, scoring just 3 runs and failing to pick up a wicket in his two-over spell.

Speaking on a private TV channel, Ahmed Shehzad didn’t hold back in his assessment, demanding clarity on what warranted Shadab’s place in the squad.

“You’re talking about Shadab [Khan], but tell me, what performance has he put up? Who brought him onto the team? Let this series pass; the PCB has a different plan, and Shadab has been included in the team for a specific purpose,” Shehzad remarked.

Pakistan’s young squad suffered a humiliating nine-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the series opener at Hagley Oval on Sunday.

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After being put in to bat first, Pakistan endured a nightmare start as openers Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz were dismissed for ducks. The collapse continued with Irfan Khan managing just a single run before his departure, leaving Pakistan reeling at 1/3 in 2.2 overs.

Khushdil Shah (32 off 34) and captain Salman Ali Agha (18 off 22) were the only batters to show some resistance, but their efforts were far from enough. Pakistan were bowled out for just 91 runs in 18.4 overs, marking their fifth-lowest total in T20Is.

New Zealand made light work of the chase, hunting down the target in just 12.1 overs, with 59 balls to spare—making this Pakistan’s worst defeat in terms of balls remaining in T20I history.

Their previous worst was against Australia in 2018, where they suffered a nine-wicket loss with 55 balls to spare.

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