Khushdil Shah

International career

Khushdil Shah was born on 7 February 1995 and is a Pakistani cricketer. He started his career with the Federally Administered Tribal Areas before joining Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Khushdil debuted for the Pakistan national team in November 2019. He is a left-handed batsman. In his international career so far, he has played two T20 matches. In these matches, he has not taken any wickets.

This article will look into Khushdil Shah’s journey and his role in Pakistan's cricket team.

ODI

• Debut: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi – November 3, 2020
• Last match: Pakistan vs India, Dubai (DICS) – February 23, 2025

T20I

• Debut: Australia vs Pakistan, Perth – November 8, 2019
• Last match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, Mount Maunganui – March 23, 2025

Timeline of key events

• December 2018: Khushdil Shah was named in Pakistan's squad for the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
• October 2019: He was included in Pakistan's T20I squad for the series against Australia. His debut match in T20I was on November 8, 2019, against Australia.
• November 2019: He was selected for the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
• June 2020: Khushdil Shah was part of a 29-man squad for Pakistan’s tour to England during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• October 2020: He was selected for a 22-man "probables" squad for Pakistan's home series against Zimbabwe. Khushdil Shah made his ODI debut on November 3, 2020, against Zimbabwe.
• November 2020: He was named in Pakistan's 35-man squad for the tour to New Zealand.
• September 2021: Khushdil was included in Pakistan's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
• August 2022: He was named in the squad for the 2022 Asia Cup.
• September 2022: Khushdil Shah was included in the squad for the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
• 2023–2024: He did not play for Pakistan in these seasons, most likely due to poor performances in the PSL.
• February 2025: Khushdil Shah played an ODI against India in Dubai and scored 38 runs off 39 balls.
• March 2025: He played a T20 against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, scoring 6 runs off 7 balls.

Performance Overview

• ODI Career:
  • Matches Played: 15
  • Runs Scored: 328
  • Average: 33
  • Fours: 25
  • Sixes: 10
  • Recent ODI Performance (February 2025): He scored 38 runs off 39 balls against India in Dubai.
• T20I Career:
  • Matches Played: 31
  • Runs Scored: 384
  • Average: 18
  • Fours: 25
  • Sixes: 18
  • Recent T20 Performance (March 2025): He scored 6 runs off 7 balls against New Zealand in Tauranga.
• Wickets Taken:
  • Khushdil Shah has not taken any wickets in T20I matches. He has played two innings but failed to take any wickets.
  • He has one wicket in his two T20 innings.

Key Career Highlights

• Khushdil Shah set a record for the fastest century in T20 cricket for Southern Punjab. He scored a century off 35 balls, helping his team beat Sindh by two wickets.
• In one of his ODI matches, he took a catch off Nissanka but was unable to take a wicket, giving away 229 runs.

Khushdil Shah has faced some challenges in adjusting his batting strategy during critical moments. In one match against Romario Shepherd, he struggled to keep up with the required run rate and faced heavy hitting from the opposition. Despite these challenges, he remains an important middle-order batsman for Pakistan.

Leagues Participation

Khushdil Shah has played in several domestic leagues. He was part of Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) from 2017 to 2018. From 2020 to 2024, he played for Multan Sultans. In 2025, he joined Karachi Kings. In the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he played for Comilla Victorians in 2023-2024 and will play for Rangpur Riders in 2025. These leagues have helped him develop his skills and gain more exposure.

Pakistan Super League

Khushdil Shah is a left-handed batsman who mainly plays in the middle order. He began his career in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Peshawar Zalmi in 2017. Shah was picked as an emerging player, and he was excited about the opportunity to play in such a big tournament. He credited his selection to Mohammad Akram and Shahid Afridi, who had noticed his performances in matches with the Shahid Afridi Foundation team.

In 2020, Shah moved to Multan Sultans. He quickly proved his value, scoring 70 runs off 29 balls in a match against Lahore Qalandars, helping his team reach a target of 187. Shah also played a key role in a victory over Peshawar Zalmi, scoring 43 runs off 29 balls, including four fours and two sixes.

In the 2021 PSL, Shah hit 42 runs from 22 balls and hit four sixes in a row, leading his team to a win against Islamabad United by 31 runs. He kept up his strong performances in 2022, helping Multan Sultans win against Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United, and Peshawar Zalmi with both bat and ball.

In the 2023 season, Shah was fined 10% of his match earnings for breaking the rules when he repeatedly asked the umpires to check the ball. Despite the fine, Multan Sultans finished second that year. In 2024, Shah played aggressively, posting a strike rate of 182.35. However, his team lost to Islamabad United in the final.

In 2025, Shah joined Karachi Kings. In a match against Peshawar Zalmi, he played a key role in his team's victory and was named Player of the Match.

Year	Team	Notes
2017–2018	Peshawar Zalmi	Started as an emerging player for Peshawar Zalmi.
2020–2024	Multan Sultans	Scored important runs and took wickets in multiple matches.
2025	Karachi Kings	Played a key role in a win against Peshawar Zalmi and was named Player of the Match.

Bangladesh Premier League

Khushdil Shah played for Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In January 2023, his strong performance helped Comilla Victorians win their third consecutive BPL title. They defeated Dhaka Dominators by 33 points, with Shah scoring 64 runs from 24 balls, hitting seven fours and five sixes. On January 23, 2024, Shah played in a match against Fortune Barishal. Comilla Victorians won the match with a score of 162/6.

By January 2025, Shah had scored 274 runs in eight BPL 2025 matches, with an average of 91.33 and a strike rate of 197.12. He ranked seventh among the top scorers. Shah also played for Rangpur Riders in January 2025, taking part in matches against Khulna Tigers and Chittagong Kings.

Year	Team	Notes
2023–2024	Comilla Victorians	Helped the team win their third consecutive BPL title. Scored 64 runs against Dhaka Dominators.
2025	Rangpur Riders	Scored 274 runs in 8 matches. Ranked 7th in the top scorer list. Played in matches against Khulna Tigers.

Domestic career

Khushdil Shah began his domestic cricket journey by playing in regional Under-19 competitions. In 2010, his strong performance in the Pepsi PCB Cricket Stars Under-16s Tournament led to an invitation for a regional camp. However, an injury stopped him from playing for the Pakistan Under-19 team. He later played for FATA in the 2012 Inter-District Under-19 Tournament.

Shah is known for his aggressive style in limited-overs cricket. In the 2018–19 Quaid-e-Azam One Day Cup, he scored 463 runs in seven matches, becoming the leading run-scorer for Federally Administered Tribal Areas. His ability to hit powerfully, especially against spinners, has made him a key middle-order batsman.

He made his List A debut in 2016 and continued to score runs quickly and consistently. In 2019, he earned a place in the Pakistan T20I squad for the tour of Australia. He impressed further in the 2019 Pakistan Cup with a score of 154 not out against Punjab.

In 2020, Shah set a record by scoring the fastest T20 century by a Pakistani player, completing it in just 35 balls during the National T20 Cup. His performances in the 2023 and 2024 PSL seasons were not as strong, but he was selected for the 2025 Champions Trophy. He hopes to prove his abilities in important matches.

Records and achievements

Khushdil Shah has earned several notable achievements in his cricket career. Below are his key records:

• April 5, 2019: Scored 154 against Punjab in the Pakistan Cup.
• April 21, 2025: Named Player of the Match in the 11th PSL 2025 match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi. Karachi Kings won by 148/8 (Warner 60, Khushdil 23, Wood 3/28).
• 2018-19 Quaid-e-Azam One Day Cup: Scored 463 runs in seven matches, becoming the top run-scorer for Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
• October 9, 2020: Scored the fastest T20 century by a Pakistani player in 35 balls during the National T20 Cup 2020-21.

Personal life

Khushdil Shah keeps much of his personal life private. He does not share many details about his family or finances.

Finance

Khushdil Shah has not revealed his net worth, but it is reported that he earns around Rs 1 crore each year from cricket contracts. He played an important role in the Champions Trophy and made his debut for Karachi Kings in PSL 2. He had to leave the pitch due to an injury.

Family

As of February 2025, there is little information about Khushdil Shah's family. He has kept details about his parents and siblings private. He is married, but the name of his wife has not been shared.

Cars 

Khushdil Shah owns an Audi A6 and a BMW X5, both sports cars.

Scandals

Khushdil Shah faced criticism after the "Parchi" chants during the 7th T20I against England in 2022. Fans shouted "Parchi" (meaning "reference") after he got out, which upset him. He was seen crying in the dressing room. Imam-ul-Haq publicly asked fans to stop the insults.

On April 5, 2025, after Pakistan's third ODI match against New Zealand, Shah had a confrontation with a fan at Bay Oval. The fans insulted him about Pakistan's performance in New Zealand. Shah tried to calm the situation, but it became heated. His teammates and security had to step in. The Pakistan Cricket Board condemned the incident and promised to improve safety for players.

Fans:

Khushdil Shah has a large fan following on Instagram with 153k followers.