‘Trying to do simple things,’ says Shadab as he makes a statement on his return

Shadab Khan played his first international game after nearly half a year, and he would be glad with how his comeback turned out. The spin-bowling all-rounder grabbed two wickets in his very first over and was overall very economical, conceding just 25 runs in four overs.

Shadab’s all-round performance

With the bat, he chipped in with quick runs, scoring 18 off 12 balls to take Pakistan over the line with six wickets to spare. Despite how smoothly it went for him, Shadab thinks comebacks aren’t a piece of cake.

"Comebacks in internationals are tough because you start from zero. Bowling and batting are going well, trying to do the simple things," Shadab said at the post-match presentation.

"The surface was definitely helping, but in cricket, you always have to assess the conditions. Here, fuller was better than a good length," he added.

Will Shadab make it to the World Cup squad?

He was adjudged the Player of the Match for his all-round performance, which also puts him in the spotlight for World Cup selection. Pakistan will play all their games of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which begins next month, in Sri Lanka. This means the three-match Sri Lanka series gives Pakistan players a final opportunity to bang down the selectors’ door.

Shadab, for one, is taking it one step at a time.

"As a player, it's always your dream to play at the highest level. For me, it's one step at a time. The team has done so well. Mirza and Wasim gave us the platform with their seam bowling for the spinners."

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