[Watch] Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan celebrates his birthday with teammates in Hyderabad
Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan turned 25 years old on Wednesday, October 4. He is currently in Hyderabad, India, with the Pakistan cricket squad preparing for the upcoming World Cup.
The Neighbouring nation has played two warm-up games in the city so far against New Zealand and Australia and lost on both occasions. Shadab did not bowl in the match against New Zealand and was rested.
He returned for the match against Australia and also led the side on Tuesday as Babar Azam took a break. He conceded 69 runs during his 10-over spell and picked up a solitary wicket of Glenn Maxwell.
Pakistan Cricket Board took to their official X (formerly Twitter) handle and shared a video giving fans a glimpse of Shadab's birthday celebrations in their team camp in Hyderabad.
You can watch the video below:
The conditions so far in India have felt similar to Pakistan: Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan recently opened up about the playing conditions in India and opined that they were very similar to those back home. He revealed that playing in Hyderabad felt like they were in Rawalpindi.
The leg-spinner reckoned that the team with a good bowling attack would emerge victorious in this World Cup due to the batting-friendly conditions on offer.
"The conditions so far in India have felt similar to Pakistan. Even the last warm-up felt like we were playing in Rawalpindi. I feel the champion of this World Cup will be a good bowling side because the conditions here offer flat tracks and small boundaries. We have world-class bowlers, and I feel as a bowling unit, we have to perform really well to become champions," Shadab Khan said, as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
"My form has not been good recently, but I got a lot of rest [after the Asia Cup]. You do get mentally down after playing a lot of cricket and not performing. Obviously, the skills are there, but the much-needed rest has helped me get over the mental barrier. The past is past now," he added.
Pakistan will face the Netherlands team in their opening match of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 on October 6 in Hyderabad.