Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Pakistan star batter Khushdil Shah, currently playing for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has questioned the team management and the Pakistan Cricket Board over his exclusion from the national side. Khushdil played a brilliant knock of 44 not out off just 14 balls, powering Karachi Kings to a thrilling five-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday.Khushdil, who was adjudged Player of the Match for his match-winning effort, spoke to former Pakistan cricketer Rameez Raja after the game and opened up about not being considered for the senior national team.
An emotional Khushdil, who last played for Pakistan in September 2025 in a T20I against the UAE, said: “Sab players se main alag hoon. Na main social media par hoon, na main purani baaton ka rona rota hoon ki mere saath kya galat hua [I’m different from everyone else. I’m not on social media, nor do I hold grudges that I was treated unfairly].”“Maine abhi haal hi mein No. 5 aur 6 par 700-800 runs banaye hain, double hundred bhi kiya hai, badi innings kheli hain. Phir bhi, itne sab ke baad mujhe team se drop kar diya gaya [I scored 700, 800 runs at number 5 or 6 in domestic cricket, yet I was dropped from the team],” he said.Khushdil has played 15 ODIs and 38 T20Is for Pakistan so far.After being put into bat, Lahore Qalandars posted a challenging 199/6 in 20 overs, thanks to half-centuries from Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique.Chasing 200, Khushdil smashed five sixes in his unbeaten 44 off 14 balls at a strike rate of 314.28, while David Warner scored 63 not out off 44 balls to guide Karachi Kings to a crucial win.Karachi Kings are currently sixth in the points table, with four wins and five defeats in nine matches. They have eight points with a net run rate of -1.063.
