Pakistan leg-spin allrounder Shadab Khan is enjoying a stellar debut season in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) Season 5 with the Colombo Strikers. After a lackluster performance in the recent T20 World Cup, where he failed to take a single wicket for Pakistan, Shadab has found his rhythm in Sri Lanka, emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament. Shadab’s LPL journey began on a high note with a hat-trick in his first game against the Kandy Falcons. Since then, he has consistently outperformed, amassing a total of 16 wickets—the highest by any bowler this season. His recent feat includes his third four-wicket haul, achieved against the Jaffna Kings at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Reflecting on his resurgence, Shadab acknowledged the challenges he faced before the LPL. “I was struggling for three months. I hadn’t taken a wicket in the last seven international games. Coming here, starting to bowl, and now always taking wickets—that’s the beauty of cricket. You have to enjoy these scenarios; sometimes you perform, sometimes you don’t. But the process has to be consistent,” he remarked after his impressive 4/10 performance against the Jaffna Kings.
Discussing the conditions in Colombo, Shadab noted the pitch’s favorability for spinners but emphasized the importance of variations for a T20 bowler. “The pitch was slow and gripping a bit, which helped us. But T20 cricket is very challenging now, with 200 runs being easily chaseable. As a spinner, you need variations to succeed on different tracks. Without variations, you can go for runs, but with them, you can both take wickets and contain runs. It’s crucial to land the ball in a good area,” Shadab explained.
In addition to his bowling prowess, Shadab aims to make a comprehensive contribution as an allrounder for the Colombo Strikers. “I am performing for my team, and that’s a good sign. As the main bowler, taking wickets is a positive for me and my team. I want to contribute in all three phases—bowling, fielding, and hopefully, with the bat too,” Shadab concluded.
