Shadab Khan reveals key factor for winning World Cup in India

Shadab Khan provided an honest evaluation of his recent performance, particularly with the ball.

Acknowledging a dip in form, Shadab attributed it to the mental toll of continuous cricket.

"My form has not been good recently but I got a lot of rest [after the Asia Cup]. You do get mentally down after playing a lot of cricket and not performing. Obviously, the skills are there but the much-needed rest has helped me get over the mental barrier. The past is past now," Shadab said during a media interaction on Sunday in Hyderabad.

In addition to his own reflections, Shadab Khan offered insights into the form of teammate Fakhar Zaman.

"Fakhar Zaman is a big player. He is impactful player not that consistent but highly impactful. When he performs the team wins. He already has 3 tons this year in winning cause. We have no doubts about him. We wanted to give him mental space. We'll always support him," he said.

Reflecting on the playing conditions in India, Shadab found similarities to those in Pakistan. He remarked that even the recent warm-up match felt akin to playing in Rawalpindi.

"The conditions so far in India have felt similar to Pakistan. Even the last warm-up felt like we were playing in Rawalpindi," he said.

Looking ahead to the ICC World Cup 2023, Shadab asserted that, considering the flat tracks and small boundaries in India, a strong bowling side would likely emerge victorious.

"I feel the champion of this World Cup will be a good bowling side because the conditions here offer flat tracks and small boundaries. We have world-class bowlers and I feel as a bowling unit we have to perform really well to become champions," he said.