Shadab, Usman determined to perform better in West Indies

LAHORE: The two leg-spinners in the Pakistan team, vice-captain Shadab Khan and Usman Qadir, are determined to make the most of the Caribbean conditions in the five-T20I series against the West Indies, which kicks off on July 27.

The pitches in the West Indies are similar to those in South Asia.

For Shadab, who began his international career from Barbados, these islands have a special place in his heart. On his debut on March 26, 2017, Shadab’s outstanding display of leg-spin earned him three wickets for only seven runs and consequently the player of the match award.

He went on to bag another player of the match award as he bettered his figures in the next match, taking four wickets.

Then 18 years old, Shadab finished with as many as 10 wickets in the four T20Is and was named the player of the series.

He is eager to play a similar role for Pakistan when they take on the world champions next week. In a conversation with PCB Digital, Shadab told fellow spinner Usman: “The three-match T20I series against England did not end the way we wanted it to, but spinners bowled well in the series decider and that gave a lot of confidence to the leg-spin department.”

Usman Qadir toured the Caribbean for an under-15 championship in 2008 and he made that trip memorable by snaring 17 wickets in eight matches. He told Shadab that he was keen to win games for Pakistan. “We will have to factor wind in our game plans and let the ball fly in the air,” he said to Shadab. “As compared to the UK, where we targeted the off-stump in the nets, we will have to bring in the wrong ones here to deceive the batsmen,” he added.