Khushdil Shah

Khushdil Shah is a Pakistani international cricketer who represents his country on the global stage. He has competed for various teams including the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League.

Early life and education

Khushdil Shah was born on 7 February 1995. He hails from Bannu, which is located in Pakistan. While specific details regarding his formal schooling are not provided, he began his journey toward professional cricket during his youth.

Career

Shah entered the domestic circuit prominently when he joined the Baluchistan squad for the 2018 Pakistan Cup in April 2018. He later became a vital asset for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas during the 2018–19 Quaid-e-Azam One Day Cup. During that specific tournament, he recorded 463 runs across seven matches to become the leading run-scorer for his side.

His performance continued to climb in early 2019. He joined the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa squad for the 2019 Pakistan Cup in March. On 5 April 2019, he achieved a significant milestone by scoring 154 not out against Punjab.

The batsman demonstrated remarkable speed during the 2020–21 National T20 Cup. On 9 October 2020, he recorded the fastest century in a T20 match by a Pakistani batsman. He reached this feat in just 35 balls.

Shah's international trajectory began in December 2018 when he was selected for Pakistan's team for the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup. He earned his first Twenty20 International (T20I) cap on 8 November 2019 against Australia. This selection followed his inclusion in the T20I squad for the series against Australia in October 2019.

The player remained a frequent selection for national squads throughout 2020. He was part of a 29-man squad for the tour to England in June 2020. Following this, he was named among 22 "probables" for the home series against Zimbabwe in October 2020. On 29 October 2020, he joined the One Day International (ODI) squad for the first match against Zimbabwe. He made his ODI debut on 3 November 2020. Shortly after, he was included in a 35-man squad for the tour to New Zealand in November 2020.

His participation in major ICC events continued over the following years. He was named in the squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in September 2021. In August 2022, he joined the Pakistan squad for the 2022 Asia Cup. He returned to the international spotlight when he was selected for the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in September 2022.