Karachi – Pakistan cricket team all-rounder Khushdil Shah has said that even he does not know how he was selected for the Champions Trophy squad.
Speaking to the media in the mixed zone of National Stadium Karachi after the first Champions Trophy match against New Zealand, Khushdil Shah stated, “I have never played cricket for myself. If I were playing for my own stats, people wouldn’t be chanting ‘parchi parchi’ (favoritism).”
He added, “People have been taunting me for the past two years; I’ve gotten used to it. Now, I even say, ‘Go ahead, shout more!’ It does feel bad when players face negative chants, but I enjoy it and can handle it.”
Khushdil further said, “No matter what the required run rate is, I always try without worrying about my wicket. Even today, my goal is to give my best for the team. Naseem Shah and I were discussing that if we could take the match to the last over, we would have it in our hands.”
The left-handed batsman mentioned that the team struggled initially due to Fakhar Zaman’s absence. “We were about 40% back in the game, but later, with no wickets in hand, it became difficult.”
He also emphasized, “Players want to enjoy playing on their home ground, and this kind of atmosphere shouldn’t happen. Our focus is always on how to win matches.”
Khushdil Shah admitted, “We lost the match today, but we will try to finish games strongly in the future. Since the Champions Trophy is happening in our country, people should support the team and players.”
He further added, “Everyone has seen my performances in the domestic circuit at the sixth and seventh batting positions. When I was dropped from the team, I had decided to make a comeback so strong that no one could doubt it.”
Khushdil concluded by saying, “People don’t realize how much hard work a player puts in. There are four or five players who keep rotating in this batting position. The sixth and seventh position is always a tough challenge for a batsman. I have never played in a situation where the team was not under pressure.”
