Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan said that apart from his aim of winning the Asia Cup for his side, he wants to win the Player of the Tournament.
Pakistan will begin their Asia Cup 2022 campaign against India on Sunday (28th August). They have had injury issues with a couple of key players but they are keeping their heads high and are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations.
It’s fair to say that Shadab, who has been a vital cog in Pakistan’s side for the last few years, will have to step up for his side, which has a relatively inexperienced pace bowling attack.
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The leg-spinner has been a key in the middle order for Pakistan and has provided his team with crucial breakthroughs even in the difficult phases since the time he made his debut for the national side.
Not only with the ball, but he also has many times hit lusty blows with the bat and has played crucial innings for his side down the order. Apart from his prowess with both bat and ball, he’s also a sensational fielder.
Speaking on the official website of the Pakistan Cricket Board ahead of the tournament, Shadab Khan said that he wants to be the Player of the Tournament in the Asia Cup and for that he’ll give every possible effort.
“Personally, I want to be the player of the Asia Cup. I know it is easier said than done when there are so many world-class competitors, but where there is a will, there is a way. I remain committed to delivering my best possible efforts and I am confident I will be rewarded with success and achievements,” Shadab Khan said.
Shadab said that although he wants to achieve his goal of winning the Player of the Tournament, his main aim is to win the trophy for Pakistan.
“It will be great if I can translate my dreams of lifting the player of the tournament trophy, but the much bigger and ultimate objective is to win the glittering trophy for Pakistan, the rest is secondary," he said.
Recently, Shaheen Afridi was ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury. Shadab called it a massive blow and said that they have confidence in other bowlers and they will step up for the side.
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“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s absence is a blow as he is our main strike bowler. But the beauty of cricket is that it’s not an individual but a team game. We have many match-winning bowlers in our family and I have confidence in Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani and others, who will surely step up and will succeed in filling the big boots of Shaheen,” he said.
Shadab also talked about the clash against India, saying that they are not overthinking and the atmosphere in the dressing room is also cool.
“Like any competition, Sunday’s match is important as it will set the tone for the remaining matches. But we are not overthinking, a tactic that worked for all of us last year. The dressing room is calm and relaxed, but we aren’t complacent. We are trying to keep things simple and straight, and our focus is one game at a time,” he concluded.
(IANS inputs)
