“Finger injury kabhi bhi ho sakti hai”: Shadab Khan clarifies to fan that priority lies with Pakistan and not in T20 leagues

Pakistan white-ball vice-captain Shadab Khan has been subjected to the wrath of fans on social media platform Twitter for missing the imminent three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home.

Khan, 24, was part of Pakistan’s squad during their last ODI assignment in Netherlands some five months ago but wasn’t considered this time round due to a finger injury which he sustained during his recently concluded Big Bash League 2022-23 stint for Hobart Hurricanes.

Khan, who grabbed several stunning catches off his own bowling in his third BBL season, picked seven wickets at an average of 20.57, an economy rate of 7.57 and a strike rate of 16.2 in the five matches that he played for Hobart Hurricanes. Khan, however, couldn’t make his presence felt despite batting at his preferred middle-order position scoring only 58 runs at a strike rate of 107.40.

Shadab Khan clarifies to fan that priority lies with Pakistan and not in T20 leagues

Known for his cordial nature, Khan had tweeted on the day before yesterday to congratulate the players selected for New Zealand ODIs especially the newcomers in Usama Mir and Tayyab Tahir. A fan, however, considered it as an apt opportunity of taking a dig at Khan with respect to him earning money in an overseas T20 league at the cost of missing international cricket.

A detailed clarification witnessed Khan explaining to the fan as to how his BBL performance aided him in doing well for Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and that gaining experience of various conditions is always the intention.

Laying priority in international cricket over T20 leagues in all circumstances, Khan was quite practical in saying that an injury can happen anytime including while practicing in the nets as part of the national team.

For the unversed, Khan had represented Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers in BBL 07 and 11 respectively. In his first two Big Bash seasons, Khan’s seven wickets in as many matches had come at an average of 22.29, an economy rate of 7.43 and a strike rate of 18.

Joint fourth-highest wicket-taker in the World Cup last year, Khan had dismissed 11 batters in seven matches at an average of 15, an economy rate of 6.34 and a strike rate of 14.1. In six innings, Khan’s 98 runs had come at a strike rate of 168.96 including a half-century.