Shadab Khan

Profile details

FULL NAME

Shadab Khan

TEAMS

Desert Vipers

Pakistan's leg-spinning all-rounder

Shadab is a right-handed batter and right-arm leg-break bowler who has been Pakistan's first-choice leg-spinner for nearly a decade. He made his international debut in 2017, at 18, and has since played more than 100 T20Is, taking over 100 wickets and scoring more than 700 runs.

His T20 game is built on variety: a big leg-break, a googly that is hard to pick, and a quicker ball that hurries batters. He has played in the Pakistan Super League for Islamabad United, where he captained the side to the title in 2024, and in the Big Bash, the CPL and the ILT20. The Vipers bought him at the Season 5 auction to lead their spin attack alongside Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and his job is to take wickets in the middle overs and score runs at the death.

Career so far

Shadab made his Pakistan debut in 2017 and was a key member of the side that won the Champions Trophy that year. He has since played in two T20 World Cups, captained Pakistan in T20Is, and been the side's vice-captain in all three formats.

His franchise career has taken him to Islamabad United in the PSL, where he captained the side to the 2024 title, and to the Big Bash, the CPL and the ILT20. His most famous performance came in the 2022 T20 World Cup, when he scored 52 off 22 balls and took 2 for 16 against South Africa in a must-win game, and his all-round numbers in T20 cricket are outstanding: more than 300 wickets and more than 2,000 runs in the format. At 28, he is entering his prime — and the Vipers have signed him for the title defence.

The spin group around him

Mujeeb's mystery, Kharote's left-arm and Shadab's own leg-spin make this the strongest spin attack in the league — and Shadab's role is to be the middle-overs wicket-taker — the bowler who comes on after the powerplay, takes wickets with his variations, and lets the fast bowlers attack from the other end. Six of the Vipers' ten league games are in Dubai, where spin has often decided matches, and a left-armer who took 4 for 30 on ODI debut is more than a backup.

What’s next

Shadab's season starts with the title defence: the opener against MI Emirates on 21 November in Dubai, a repeat of the Season 4 final. The full list of every ILT20 fixture is on the ILT20 Schedule.

• Match 1 — MI Emirates: Saturday 21 November 2026, 6:30 PM GST, Dubai.
• Match 4 — Sharjah Warriorz: Monday 23 November 2026, evening session, Sharjah.
• Match 6 — Dubai Capitals: Wednesday 25 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 9 — MI Emirates: Saturday 28 November 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 12 — Gulf Giants: Sunday 29 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 15 — Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Wednesday 2 December 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
• Match 18 — Sharjah Warriorz: Friday 4 December 2026, evening session, Sharjah.
• Match 21 — Dubai Capitals: Sunday 6 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 27 — Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Saturday 12 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Match 29 — Gulf Giants: Sunday 13 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
• Playoffs: Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 16 December, the Eliminator on Wednesday 17 December, Qualifier 2 on Friday 18 December, and the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai.

Follow every ILT20 result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.