Major update on Shadab Khan’s return to Pakistan team

Pakistan’s T20I vice-captain, Shadab Khan, is set to make a comeback to the national team ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.

According to the sources, the selection committee, along with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, is considering Shadab’s return to help boost his momentum ahead of the major tournament. 

The 27-year-old’s fitness has reportedly satisfied both the medical panel and the team physiotherapist, as he recovers quickly and is already bowling full spells.

On Monday, Shadab, along with emerging pacer Ali Raza, participated in a practice match at the LCCA Ground after completing their rehabilitation programs. 

A video shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) showed Ali Raza bowling at full pace, troubling the batters, while Shadab appeared in control with both bat and ball. 

The duo’s performance was closely monitored by the academy coaches, with Director of the National High-Performance Centre, Aqib Javed, also in attendance.

Shadab had undergone surgery in the United Kingdom a few months ago to address persistent discomfort in his right shoulder, an issue that had troubled him prior to Pakistan’s T20I series against Bangladesh in Dhaka in July.

Following medical consultations, surgery was deemed necessary to fully resolve the problem.

The leg-spinner resumed training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) last month, taking part in fielding and bowling sessions under the guidance of the academy’s coaching staff.

Shadab, who served as Pakistan’s vice-captain during the white-ball tour of New Zealand earlier this year, missed several key assignments during his recovery, including the away T20I series against Bangladesh, the white-ball tour of the West Indies, the tri-nation T20I series involving UAE and Afghanistan, the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, and the white-ball home series against South Africa. 

He is also not part of the squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka or the subsequent T20I tri-series featuring Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

For the unversed, Shadab last represented Pakistan in the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh at home, where he claimed four wickets and scored 48 and 7 runs in two innings.