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Shadab Khan And...? 3 Pakistan Stars Who Must Perform In 2nd T20I To Justify Their Selection

Debashis Sarangi

Shadab Khan failed in 1st T20I [Source: @CallMeSheri1/X]Shadab Khan failed in 1st T20I [Source: @CallMeSheri1/X]

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On Tuesday, Pakistan will cross swords against New Zealand in the second T20I of the ongoing five-match series. Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan had a poor start to the series, losing the first T20I by nine wickets. 

Although Pakistan made significant bold changes to revamp their T20I setup, some senior players have repeatedly registered failures, which is why the second match could be a make-or-break game for them. 

1. Shadab Khan

  • Veteran all-rounder Shadab Khan, who was sidelined from the T20I side, received a much-awaited recall for the New Zealand series. 
  • However, the seasoned campaigner recorded failure with the bat, managing only three runs. He had a forgettable time with the ball too, conceding 18 runs and going wicketless in his two-over spell. 
  • Considering his reputation and stature, Shadab will likely get another opportunity to prove himself in the second T20I. However, if his failure costs Pakistan again, the visitors could replace him with another player for the third T20I. 

2. Mohammad Haris

  • Swashbuckling batter Mohammad Haris had a horrendous outing in the first T20I against New Zealand. Opening the batting for Pakistan, Haris played five dot balls before departing for a duck. 
  • Haris received a recall into the T20I side after a long hiatus. More importantly, the Pakistan team management trusted him more than Usman Khan. 
  • So, if Haris plays the second game and fails to deliver, Pakistan might bring Usman Khan as a like-for-like replacement into their playing XI for the subsequent encounter. In such a scenario, Haris must showcase his mettle as another failure could lead to his exclusion from the side. 

3. Salman Ali Agha

Criterion
Data
Runs68
Bat Avg/SR11.33/81.92
Wickets2
Bowl Avg/SR13/15

(Salman Ali Agha's T20I stats)

  • Pakistan's experienced all-rounder has been a proven performer in ODIs. However, he hasn't been able to replicate a similar success in T20Is, as evidenced by the above stats. 
  • In the first T20I, Agha was a major disappointment for Pakistan, playing a sloth-paced 18-run knock off 20 deliveries. 
  • So, considering he has been a failure in T20Is, the clock is ticking for Agha Salman, as another abysmal performance could cost him his captaincy stint, with so much vulnerability surrounding Pakistan cricket's leadership group at the moment.