Shadab Khan gives religious angle to Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 journey

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan said that the team is in a positive frame of mind during the T20 World Cup 2026, drawing strength from the start of Ramadan. Following the victory over Namibia in the match, Shadab described the holy month as Pakistan’s “12th man,” saying it has lifted morale within the squad.

Pakistan booked their spot in the Super 8 with a 102-run win over Namibia in their final group-stage match, a result that also ended the United States of America’s (USA) qualification hopes. Salman Ali Agha’s side delivered a commanding performance when a Pakistan loss was needed to keep the USA in the race.

Humara 12th Man Toh Saath Hi Hai - Shadab Khan on Ramadan

Shadab Khan was asked questions about team changes after Shaheen Afridi was dropped and Babar Azam did not bat against Namibia. He said that the team is focusing only on what it can control and added that the start of Ramadan has boosted the squad’s spirit.

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“At the end of the day, you can only control certain things, so you should focus on controlling those," Shadab said in a press conference on Wednesday (February 18). “And now Ramadan has started, humara 12th man toh saath hi hai (our 12th man is with us)," he added.

Ramadan is the most sacred month in the Islamic lunar calendar for Muslims across the world. During this month, people fast every day from dawn to sunset, starting with a pre-dawn meal called Suhoor and ending the fast at sunset with Iftar.

We Just Have to Keep Doing the Good Things - Shadab Khan

Shadab Khan said that the team would stick to what is already working. He pointed out that the openers have provided strong starts in almost every match. Shadab added that Pakistan want the batting unit to deliver, while the bowlers must continue to hit the right areas with consistency.

“It’s simple, we just have to keep doing the good things we’ve been doing. Our openers are giving us good starts in almost every match," Shadab said.

"The form of Sahibzada has been excellent, and whenever a batter stands up in those conditions and scores 70-plus, it takes you above a par score. As a batting unit, we need to continue that. In bowling, we have to keep hitting the right areas consistently."

We Could Have Won That as Well - Shadab Khan on India Match

The all-rounder said that Pakistan have the right bowling combination. He stated that the team could have beaten India on Sunday if they had played to their full potential, but added that the focus now is on moving forward and staying on track.

“We have Usman (Tariq) and Abrar (Ahmed), two mystery spinners. Saim (Ayub) is bowling well, (Mohammad) Nawaz is there, and I’m there too. It’s a good combination, along with the fast bowlers. I think we are on the right track," Shadab stated.

"We’ve talked a lot about the last match. I know it was a big one, and we didn’t perform as expected. But if we had played to our full potential, we could have won that as well. Still, it’s part of the game. We’ll continue focusing on our main goal," he said.

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