Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan had an eventful outing against the Netherlands as the star all-rounder managed to weave a net around the Dutch riders on Sunday. Babar Azam-led Pakistan, winless in their first two Super 12 matches, looked to revive their ICC T20 World Cup campaign when the Green Army took on the Netherlands at the Perth Stadium.
All-rounder Shadab picked the bowlers for the Green Army in Match #29 of the T20 World Cup in Perth. The star spinner removed the likes of Max O’Dowd, Colin Akerman and Tom Cooper as Pakistan restricted the Netherlands to 91-9 in the 20 overs. Shadab scored three wickets and conceded 22 runs against the Dutch team. The experienced Green Army campaigner was named man of the match for his all-round performance against the Netherlands.
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Speaking at the traditional post-match press conference, Shadab was asked about Babar’s comeback in the T20 World Cup. Considered one of the best batsmen across all formats, Babar has struggled for form in the Super 12 phase of the T20 World Cup. Shadab, who came out in support of the Pakistani skipper, said that Babar’s critics are one step away from being silenced.
“He’s a world-class player, but he’s also human. Sometimes he makes mistakes, but he is our leader, he is our best captain. He supported us, so we must support him now. “It’s just three games, nobody should worry about his form because he is a world-class player,” Shadab said. Pakistan captain Babar scored 8 runs in 3 innings in T20 World Cup.
“He is one barrel away (from recovery). Like Rizwan today, he scored runs. So I hope Babar scores for us in the next game. The next game is a big game so I hope he scores runs for the team. Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) Babar-led Pakistan will face South Africa in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup.