Domestic and franchise career
On 26 August 2016, he made his Twenty20 debut for Rawalpindi in the 2016–17 National T20 Cup. [11]
After his impressive performance in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, he was signed to play for Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2017 Caribbean Premier League. [12] Later in 2017, Shadab signed with the Brisbane Heat for the 7th season of the Big Bash League. [13]
In June 2019, Khan was selected to play for the Edmonton Royals franchise team in the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament. [14]
An analysis of PSL 2020 notes Khan’s return to form with the bat, elevated to No. 4 for Islamabad United. He produced a run of impactful innings, mixing boundary-hitting with smarter rotation, while still offering utility leg-spin. It was thus argued that his batting evolution (range against pace and spin, better tempo control) points to a genuine all-rounder trajectory rather than a bowler who bats. [15]
In December 2021, he was named the captain of Islamabad United following the players' draft for the 2021 Pakistan Super League. [16]
In the PSL 2025 10th match at Karachi on 20 April 2025, Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by six wickets (129/4 in 17.1 overs, chasing 128/7). Shadab Khan was Player of the Match for a decisive 2 for 17 with the ball and a composed 47 off 40 in the chase, leading United to a comfortable win. [17]
International career
In the 2nd unofficial Test at Bulawayo (Oct 15–18, 2016), Shadab Khan dominated for Pakistan A, scoring his maiden first-class century (129) in a total of 512 and then returning 5 wickets in Zimbabwe A’s second innings to seal an eight-wicket win and a 1–0 series result. The match report highlighted his flight and variation with the ball and his counterattacking lower-order batting as the decisive factors. [18]
He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Pakistan against the West Indies on 26 March 2017. [19] Taking 3 wickets for 7 runs in his spell, he recorded the most economical figures for a bowler completing their four overs on debut in a T20I, and was Player of the Match. [20] The following month, he was added to Pakistan's Test squad for their series against the West Indies. [21]
Khan made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Pakistan against the West Indies on 7 April 2017. [22] He made his Test debut for Pakistan, also against the West Indies, on 30 April 2017. [23] He was part of Pakistan's 2017 Champions Trophy winning squad. In September 2017, he was named the PCB's Emerging Player of the Year. [24]
On 16 October 2017, against Sri Lanka, Khan scored his maiden ODI fifty. Khan, along with Babar Azam, made a partnership of 109 and slowly built the innings towards 200. When bowling, Khan took early breakthroughs in the low-scoring game taking three wickets. Pakistan won the match by 32 runs and Shadab was adjudged the man of the match for his all-round performances. [25]
In the 3rd T20I at Dubai on 28 Oct 2018, Pakistan completed a 3–0 sweep over Australia, winning by 33 runs after posting 150/5 (Babar Azam 50). Shadab Khan led the defence with a match-turning 3 for 19 in four overs, throttling Australia’s chase to 117 all out and headlining Pakistan’s clean sweep. [26]
In April 2019, Khan was named to Pakistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. [27] [28] Three days after Khan was named in Pakistan's World Cup squad, he was ruled out of Pakistan's preceding tour of England with a virus. [29] [30] He was replaced by Yasir Shah for the matches against England. [31] Ahead of the third ODI match against England, Pakistan's captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, confirmed that Shadab had recovered and would be fit enough to play at the World Cup. [32] On 23 June 2019, in Pakistan's World Cup match against South Africa, Shadab took his 50th wicket in ODIs. [33]
In June 2020, Khan was named in a 29-man squad for Pakistan's tour to England during the COVID-19 pandemic. [34] [35] However, on 22 June 2020, Shadab was one of three players from Pakistan's squad to test positive for COVID-19. [36] Although he had shown no previous symptoms of the virus, [37] he was advised to go into a period of self-isolation. [38] In July, he was shortlisted for Pakistan's 20-man squad for the Test matches against England. [39] [40]
On 28 August 2020, in the first T20I match against England, Shadab took his 50th wicket in the format. [41]
On 18 December 2020, Khan captained the Pakistan team for the first time in an international match, when he led the side in the first Twenty20 International (T20I) against New Zealand during Babar's injury.
In September 2021, Khan was named the vice-captain of Pakistan's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. [42]
In 2022, Khan was amongst the players centrally contracted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). [43] [44]
A post–2022 Asia Cup final analysis argues Shadab Khan had “got his groove back,” highlighting his all-round resurgence through the tournament: sharper leg-spin control and wicket-taking googlies, renewed batting impact in the middle order, and high-energy fielding/leadership that underpinned Pakistan’s run to the final, even if the title match went Sri Lanka’s way. [45]
On 27 March 2023, he took his 100th T20I wicket against Afghanistan, [46] and became the first male cricketer from Pakistan to take 100 wickets in T20Is. [47]
In May 2024, he was named in Pakistan's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament. [48]
Playing style
In late September 2019, Khan said he aimed to become a genuine all-rounder for Pakistan, stressing ongoing work on his batting alongside his leg-spin so he can contribute in multiple roles and improve team balance. He cites Australian cricketer Steve Smith as inspiration in this process. [49] [50]
Better suited for the shorter formats, Khan has been called Pakistan’s “Mr T20”: a multi-role asset who bowls wicket-taking middle-overs legspin (using googly/pace changes), floats in the batting order to target match-ups, contributes late-over hitting and strike rotation, and adds elite fielding and on-field leadership, an integrated skill set that optimises Pakistan’s T20 balance. [51]
Bowling
Considering former Australian international Shane Warne to be his role-model, Khan is a leg-spinner who relies on generous flight and aerial deception, varying his release and use of the crease, both close to and wide of the stumps, to disrupt a batter’s eye-line. [52] In an April 2017 interview, Khan said his celebrated googly is not his only weapon; he emphasized that his leg-break and flipper are also wicket-taking options. [53]
Fielding
Khan is regarded as one of the best fielders in Pakistan. [54] [55] Khan has been noted for raising Pakistan’s fielding standards. As a teenager in the Pakistan Super League he drew attention for agile, attacking work and direct hits from backward point, and he has since been regarded as one of the side’s leading fielders. [56] [57]
