Pakistan's vice-captain, Shadab Khan, despite facing a recent dip in form, has received staunch backing from coach Mickey Arthur. As the ICC World Cup 2023 unfolds in India, all eyes are on Shadab, who many believe is primed for a turnaround after his lackluster performance in the Asia Cup 2023.
Shadab's recent records in the Asia Cup raised eyebrows, as he secured only six wickets in the tournament. With four of these against Nepal, he ended with an average of 40.83. Furthermore, in the lead-up to the World Cup, Shadab's stats remained worrisome with just 121 runs and 11 wickets from the last ten matches, underscoring his form concerns. However, Shadab, being a player of immense grit, remains optimistic about regaining his stride during the World Cup and boosting Pakistan's prospects.
Mickey Arthur, ahead of the much-anticipated World Cup opener against the Netherlands, expressed unwavering confidence in Shadab's capabilities. As reported by Sportstar, Arthur highlighted Shadab's immense talent, stating, "He is a wonderful cricketer." While acknowledging that Shadab might currently be grappling with self-confidence, Arthur firmly believes that the all-rounder is just one stellar performance away from rekindling his form. In Arthur's view, there's no looming cloud of doubt over Shadab's imminent return to form.
"I whole-heartedly back Shadab's ability and he is a wonderful cricketer. He is exceptional and he is a bit short of confidence. He is one performance away from getting the confidence back and will have a really big influence in this World Cup. I am not worried about Shadab," said Arthur.
Despite the bowlers' struggle in the warm-up games against New Zealand and Australia, where they gave away nearly 700 runs, Arthur exudes confidence in his team's abilities. He remains optimistic about the team's skill set and their potential to bounce back.
"Form comes and goes, but the quality of the players in the positions is undoubted. We are just making sure that those guys are there in a great space technically and mentally and hopefully they click tomorrow, and from there the confidence just grows. I have no worries about the skills of the players. They are one performance away from getting their confidence and hopefully, we get that one tomorrow," he added.
In conclusion, as the World Cup 2023 progresses, fans and experts alike are keenly watching Pakistan's young vice-captain. With strong backing from the coach and an undeterred spirit, Shadab Khan might just surprise everyone with a stellar comeback.
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