Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan says he has grown accustomed to criticism on social media, crediting the team management for continuing to back him despite questions over his performances.
“I’m used to getting criticised now. I know people on social media will criticise me no matter what I do,” Shadab told the presenters after Pakistan’s thrilling one-wicket victory over England in the ODI tri-series at Gaddafi Stadium.
The 28-year-old returned to Pakistan’s ODI side after a series of injuries kept him out of contention. He had played only four ODIs since 2023, all in 2026, and entered the match with just 100 runs and two wickets this year.
Shadab answered his critics with a match-winning century, guiding Pakistan to victory in a tense run chase.
“My performances had not been that good for some time, and [due to this] both the management and I came under criticism. Credit goes to the management for trusting me,” he told reporters.
“As a professional, you always try to do your best. Unfortunately, I was unable to perform the way I wanted to, but today, Allah had destined this moment for me and set the stage for me,” he added.
Shadab also explained his frustration after the on-field umpire gave him out lbw with Pakistan needing 20 runs off 30 balls. He reviewed the decision, and the third umpire overturned it after finding an inside edge.
“I think it was the ball that I could have hit for a boundary, but I missed it. I had no idea that I had edged it. I was frustrated because I had missed a boundary and then got out. It felt like the match was over because you had worked so hard to bring the game to that stage. That was where the frustration came from,” he said.
Shadab then shared an unbeaten 89-run partnership with Haris Rauf for the 10th wicket to take Pakistan over the line. He credited his batting partner for showing patience under pressure.
“There was no particular discussion with Haris Rauf about batting. We were just trying to enjoy the game. Haris deserves a lot of credit for the way he batted with patience,” Shadab said.
The all-rounder also played down comparisons between his innings and Glenn Maxwell’s remarkable knock against Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
“You cannot compare one innings with another. If we talk about [Glenn] Maxwell, he played an extraordinary innings in the World Cup, after which his team underwent significant changes and went on to win the World Cup.”
“If our team plays such innings on even bigger stages, it will benefit the team,” he concluded.
