A talented all-rounder from Pakistan, Shadab Khan, has been both praised and criticized recently. In international cricket, his journey has been a rollercoaster ride, marked both by significant achievements and struggles. As a leg-spinner and batsman, Shadab Khan burst on the cricketing scene with his impressive skills. His ability to provide crucial breakthroughs with the ball and contribute valuable runs down the order made him a valuable asset for the team.
Shadab Khan’s bowling form has come under scrutiny in recent years, with critics contending that he has not been as effective against stronger teams. This drop in performance has sparked discussions regarding his role in the team and whether he should be a regular member of the playing XI.
Shadab Khan’s Bowling Performance against top teams
It is a sad fact that Shadab Khan is one of the underperforming players in the Pakistan ODI team. This is not solely due to his current form; it pertains to his entire ODI career. Shadab Khan’s bowling performance against top-tier sides is as dismal as that of a front-line spinner.
Also Read: Shadab Khan – The X-Factor of Pakistan
He is a bowling all-rounder and has participated in 63 matches up to this point. In this format, he has taken 82 wickets, boasting an overall average of 32. However, out of these 63 matches, he has played 33 against formidable opponents such as South Africa, England, New Zealand, and India. His statistics against them are extremely poor.
| Innings | 33 |
| Wickets | 33 |
| Avergae | 45.6 |
| Stike Rate | 50 |
| Econemy | 5.46 |
| Best Bowling | 4/38 |
These statistics clearly indicate how much Shadab Khan is struggling in bowling against top teams. Pakistan’s vice-captain is the front-line spinner in the ODI format, but his record suggests that these are the worst-ever statistics a front-line spinner can have.
Shadab Khan’s Bowling Performance against low teams
Shadab Khan’s bowling performances against lower-ranked sides are comparatively good. His average is 34 against Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Nepal, Zimbabwe, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka. He has just five four-wicket hauls and no five-wicket haul in this format. Although his five-wicket hauls came from Zimbabwe (2), Nepal (1), West Indies (1), and New Zealand (1).
The actual problem with Shadab Khan’s bowling
As everyone knows, Pakistan’s fast bowling in ODI matches is outstanding. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah provide a breakthrough with the new ball. After these two, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan enter the proceedings.
Rauf frequently picks up wickets in the middle overs, but Shadab fails to provide adequate support to him and the other bowlers. He struggles to take wickets during the middle overs and doesn’t maintain the same momentum as our fast bowlers. Consequently, this allows opposition batters to settle in and accumulate runs on the scoreboard. He is badly exposed after Pakistan’s humiliating loss against India.
Throughout his 63 matches, Shadab has been named Man of the Match three times, with two of those occasions being for his batting heroics. This is a disappointing and unexpected statistic for our front-line spinner since he has only been awarded Man of the Match once in his six-year career due to a lack of performance with the ball.
Is Shadab Khan suited in the Pakistan ODI playing IX?
Pakistan has invested significantly in Shadab Khan and supported him through challenging times. Now, it’s time for Shadab to step up and take responsibility as the vice-captain, especially in terms of his bowling performance. Emphasizing the importance of his bowling over his batting is crucial.
While our fast bowlers can provide early breakthroughs, they won’t always be able to save the team, highlighting the necessity of Shadab’s contribution with the ball. His ability to enter the ODI setup largely relies on his bowling skills, as without them, he can’t secure a place in any top team.
However, it’s acknowledged that Shadab Khan isn’t an aggressive spinner and lacks a wide variety in his bowling. Rather than playing as a third or fourth bowler in the ODI team, he often operates as the fifth or sixth bowler. To maintain team balance, Team Pakistan should consider finding a specialist spinner to complement Shadab’s role. If they are seeking a bowler with a unique and aggressive variety, options like Abrar Ahmed, Sufyan Muqeem, and Faisal Akram could be explored.
