Who is Saud Shakeel? Some interesting facts to know

Shakeel didn’t get out during the game and scored 208 runs off 361 balls, helping Pakistan reach a total of 461 runs before all their players were out. It’s important to mention that this was only Shakeel’s second century in Test matches and his first one in an away game, and he managed to turn it into a double century.

Who is Saud Shakeel?

Shakeel, who was born in Karachi, is a talented cricketer known for his left-arm spin. He has consistently achieved an average in the 40s in both list A and first-class cricket. Shakeel admires Michael Hussey and Saeed Anwar and plays for the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League. He was also part of the U-19 World Cup in 2014. If Shakeel continues to perform well in domestic cricket and the Pakistan Super League, he has the potential to become a valuable all-rounder for the Pakistan national cricket team.

#1 Saud Shakeel goes viral on social media as Virat Kohli’s lookalike

Shakeel played his first international match for Pakistan in a One Day International (ODI) against England at Sophia Gardens on July 8, 2021. Although he only scored five runs in his debut, he caught the attention of social media users because he resembled the Indian cricketer Virat Kohli.

Shakeel achieved a score of fifty runs in the second ODI, which led fans to make more comparisons between him and Kohli. Some people even made jokes, calling him the “left-handed Kohli of Pakistan.”

#2 Shakeel finished runners-up with Pakistan U-19s in U-19 World Cup 2014

Shakeel played cricket for the Pakistan U-19 team before playing for the senior team. He participated in the U-19 World Cup in 2014, where Pakistan finished second after losing to South Africa in the final. Shakeel played in all six matches and scored a total of 127 runs. His highest score was 45, and his average score was around 25.

#3 Saud Shakeel never scored a 200 in first-class cricket before

Shakeel has been performing well as a batsman in Pakistan’s local tournaments. However, his previous highest score in traditional cricket matches was 187 not out. He has a good average of 50.05 in these matches, with 16 centuries and 23 fifties. But now, he has achieved a new personal best in Test and first-class cricket with a score of 208 not out. Pakistani fans will be eager to see him surpass this record in the future.

#4 Saud Shakeel grew up idolizing Michael Hussey

Shakeel, in an interview with PakPassion.net, shared that he was a huge fan of cricket and looked up to Michael Hussey, a former Australian batter who played left-handed. Hussey’s game inspired Shakeel and served as a role model during his childhood.

“I was a cricket fan and liked every cricketer who played good cricket. But if I have to name one, I’d go with Mike Hussey. He was a brilliant stroke maker and used to time the ball so well that he was a treat to watch. You could watch him bat all day,” said Shakeel.