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Shadab Khan opens up on successful return ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

Rajgeeta Yadav

Shadab Khan opens up on successful return ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 [Source: AFP]Shadab Khan opens up on successful return ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 [Source: AFP]

Shadab Khan has shared his thoughts after making a strong and confident return to international cricket. The experienced Pakistan all-rounder said that coming back to the national team is never simple. 

According to him, every returning player has to begin again from the starting point. Notably, his comeback performance came at an important time, just one month before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Shadab Khan impresses on comeback

Shadab returned to T20Is after six months during the first match of the three-game series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. He made an immediate impact and helped Pakistan secure a comfortable six-wicket victory. 

As a result, Pakistan took a 1–0 lead in the series. Shadab was named Player of the Match for his excellent all-round display. With the ball, he bowled four overs and gave away only 25 runs while taking two wickets. Later, he supported the chase with an unbeaten 18 runs from 12 balls, allowing Pakistan to finish the match with 20 balls remaining.

Before this match, Shadab last played for Pakistan in May 2025 during a home series against Bangladesh. After that, a shoulder injury kept him away from major tours and tournaments, including the West Indies tour, the tri-nation series with UAE and Afghanistan, and the Asia Cup. 

Shadab Khan reflects on his strong comeback

After recovery and rehabilitation, he returned to competitive cricket in December while playing for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League. Notably, his strong performances there showed his all-round ability once again and opened the door for his return to the national side.

After the match, Shadab spoke honestly about the difficulty of returning to international cricket.

"Comebacks in internationals are tough because you start from zero. Bowling and batting is going well, trying to do the simple things. The surface was definitely helping, but in cricket you have to always assess the conditions. Here, fuller was better than good length,” Shadab said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Pakistan’s strong start against Sri Lanka

It is worth mentioning that Shadab’s return has come at a time when Pakistan are shaping their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026. 

Shadab said playing for Pakistan at the highest level has always been his dream, and he prefers to move forward step by step.

"As a player, it's always your dream to play at the highest level. For me, one step at a time,” Shadab added.

Talking about the match, Pakistan’s bowlers dominated Sri Lanka, restricting them to 128 runs. Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed took three wickets each, while Mohammad Wasim Jr and Shadab supported well. 

During the chase, opener Sahibzada Farhan scored a half-century, guiding Pakistan to a confident win and a positive start to their T20 World Cup preparations.