Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Sydney Sixers have signed ace Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan for the remainder of the ongoing 2021-22 season of the T20 tournament.
Despite being placed second in the BBL points-table, the defending champions have suffered several injury blows in the recent times and Shadab’s signing will be a significant boost their attack.
Shadab has picked 197 wickets from 175 T20s at an economy of 7.18. He was in terrific form at the T20 World Cup this year, scalping nine wickets from six games nad had played a crucial role in helping Pakistan reach the semifinals of the showpiece event.
Commenting on his signing, Sixers head coach Greg Shipperd was excited at the prospect of working with Shadab and said: “Shadab joins us as cover for the bowlers we have lost and comes together with two other young and exciting spinners in Lloyd Pope and Todd Murphy.”
“All three young men are still learning their craft but have shown at various levels that they can be world class. We welcome Shadab’s skills in all three facets of the game and can’t wait to see him get an opportunity in coming matches,” he added.
Last week, the Sydney Sixers had dealt some massive blows as Tom Curran was ruled out of the entire ongoing BBL season while Steve O’Keefe and Ben Manenti had also suffered injuries.
While Curran immediately returned to England, O’Keefe was been ruled out for the “short term”. Manenti, on the other hand, has also been ruled out of the entire tournament after suffering a neck stress fracture.
Commenting on the development, Sydney Sixers’ skipper Moises Henriques had said: “We pride ourselves on being a club and a team that embraces challenges but to lose players of the calibre of Tom and Ben, and to have SOK on the sidelines, would be a challenge for any team and those guys aren’t simply replaced.”
“On and off the field, all three of those guys play a massive role for us and their presence around the team and skills on the field will be missed by everybody in the group. But for us, we always look to have 18-match ready players in our squad and we see it as an opportunity for others within our group,” he had added.
The Sixers’ skipper further expressed that the recent development will serve as an opportunity for the other talented players in his side, who really deserved.
“There are guys like Lloyd Pope and Mickey Edwards who really deserve an opportunity, but due to the strength of our list haven’t been able to get as many chances as they deserve, so it will be a great little period for those guys to have a run of games,” Henriques said.
“We also saw Ben Dwarshuis return from injury this week, Jackson Bird isn’t too far away and Sean Abbott is back after the birth of his daughter, so there is no need to panic,” he had added.
Notably, Shadab’s signing comes in the wake of these happenings.