Big Bash League: It’s pressure when you play against Pakistan team-mates, says Shadab Khan
For Shadab Khan, the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) season has been about more than form and fitness. It has also meant facing familiar faces — friends and long-time Pakistan team-mates — now turned rivals in Australian colours.
“Yeah, losing to friends is hard to digest,” Shadab said in The Surge Podcast on Tuesday. “In our culture, your friends don’t forget it for years.
We already play against each other in the PSL (Pakistan Super League), and whatever happens there gets talked about for the whole year.
“So there’s always pressure when you play against mates.”
The season has carried particular significance for the Sydney Thunder all-rounder, marking his return to competitive cricket after a lengthy layoff. Shadab last played for Pakistan in a T20 international in June before a shoulder injury and subsequent rehabilitation ruled him out. The BBL has been his first appearance on the field since.
So far, his return has been encouraging. Across three matches, Shadab has taken six wickets and scored 75 runs in two innings at a strike rate of over 136, averaging more than 37.
His most impressive performance came against Brisbane Heat, where he returned figures of 4 for 24, signalling a welcome return to bowling form after a prolonged absence.
This BBL season has also seen an unprecedented number of Pakistan players in action, drawing increased attention from fans back home.
“It’s very significant,” Shadab said. “Big names like Babar [Azam] are here, and fans back home are excited.
“Earlier, we didn’t have many players in the BBL, but now six or seven are playing. Everyone has their own fan base, and people love watching them in one of the top leagues in the world. You can feel the buzz back in Pakistan.”
While Shadab has found momentum, other Pakistan stars are still finding their feet. Babar, despite scoring a half-century for Sydney Sixers, has yet to fully live up to the hype surrounding his BBL debut. Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi have also struggled to make a consistent impact so far in the tournament.
Shadab believes Australian conditions, particularly the larger grounds and extra bounce, suit spinners and allow greater tactical freedom.
“It depends on where you play, but I think the ground dimensions really help,” he explained. “In Asia, the grounds are smaller and the tracks are flat, so it’s very hard to bowl there. In Australia, you have a cushion — you can use your variations and deceive batsmen, especially in flight. “You also get extra bounce, which really helps spinners. That little bit of bounce makes a big difference.”
The 27-year-old feels the competitiveness and quality of the BBL is one of the main reasons it is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for Pakistan cricketers.
“You can sense it already,” he noted. “Players back home can see how tough and high-quality this league is, especially for batsmen. Everyone wants to challenge themselves here. Hopefully, we’ll see more Pakistan players next year.”
Injuries have played a key role in shaping Shadab’s career path. Though he has represented Pakistan in Tests and first-class cricket, physical setbacks — particularly linked to his bowling action — led him to focus more on white-ball formats.
“I never thought only about white-ball cricket,” he says. “I played Tests and first-class cricket, but injuries affected me a lot, mostly because of my action. That’s why I focused more on white-ball cricket — to play more for Pakistan and around the world. Longer formats were harder for me physically at that time.”
The season has carried particular significance for the Sydney Thunder all-rounder, marking his return to competitive cricket after a lengthy layoff.
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