Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has criticized vice-captain Shadab Khan for his performance in the first T20I against New Zealand, questioning his inclusion in the squad. Shadab Khan had a lackluster performance, scoring just 3 runs and failing to take any wickets in his two overs, contributing to Pakistan's poor performance.
Speaking on a private TV channel, Shehzad asked what performance-based criteria Shadab Khan had met to secure his place in the team. "You’re talking about Shadab, tell me, what performance has he put up? Who brought him into the team?" Shehzad said, expressing his frustration. He further added that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had specific plans for Shadab in the series, hinting that his inclusion may have been for reasons other than performance.
Regarding rumors about Shadab Khan potentially becoming the next captain, Shehzad commented that the authorities had sent a young New Zealand team to buy time. He said, "Such things are being said. We also want to know about these things, but it’s just the first T20I. Let’s see what happens next."
Pakistan faced a heavy nine-wicket defeat in the first T20I against New Zealand. After being put to bat first at Hagley Oval, Pakistan's opening pair, Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz, were dismissed for ducks, leaving Pakistan at a disastrous 1/3. Only Khushdil Shah (32 runs) and captain Salman Agha (18 runs) contributed significantly to Pakistan’s total score of 91, which was chased down by New Zealand with ease.
