Shadab Khan Picks The Perfect T20 Player, Leaves Virat Kohli

Shadab Khan Picks The Perfect T20 Player, Leaves Virat Kohli [Source: AFP]

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan recently picked his perfect T20 cricketers, and his choices have certainly caught attention. While he selected several legendary names from around the world, one major name was missing from his list, Virat Kohli.

Interestingly, Shadab did not pick a single Pakistan player for his ideal T20 combination. Instead, he chose players from India, the West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand.

Shadab Khan Picks Rohit Sharma As Captain

Speaking on Cricwick, Shadab Khan picked former India opener Rohit Sharma as his opener and captain. Notably, Rohit is widely regarded as one of the most successful batters and captains in T20I cricket.

Although Rohit has now retired from T20Is, he finished his international career with 4620 runs from 171 matches at an average of 32.99. He also scored 5 centuries and 32 fifties.

Moreover, Rohit led India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title. Therefore, Shadab's decision to make him the captain is hardly surprising.

Nicholas Pooran Gets The Power-Hitter Role

For the power-hitter position, Shadab selected West Indies star Nicholas Pooran. The left-hander is known for his explosive batting and ability to change a game within a few overs.

Notably, Pooran has also retired from international cricket. However, he remains one of the most dangerous batters in franchise T20 cricket. In 97 T20I innings, he scored 2275 runs at a strike rate of 136.39.

Also Read: From Shadab Khan To Sufiyan Muqeem: Pakistan Players Ranked After GSL 2026

Kieron Pollard And Sunil Narine Complete The Bowling Attack

Meanwhile, Shadab chose another West Indies legend, Kieron Pollard, as his all-rounder. Pollard played 101 T20Is, scoring 1569 runs and taking 42 wickets. In addition, his overall T20 career has been outstanding. He finished with more than 14,800 runs and over 300 wickets in 746 matches.

For the spinner's role, Shadab picked Sunil Narine. The mystery spinner has been one of the toughest bowlers to attack in T20 cricket. His variations and accuracy have made him a major threat throughout his career.

Watch the video below:

𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵

@rushiii_12

Shadab Khan build his perfect T20 players list, where he picked Rohit Sharma as the captain and opener. The interesting thing is that there isn’t a single Pakistani player on his list.

Aug 7, 2026, 6:14 PM

For wicketkeeper-batter position, Shadab selected South Africa star Quinton de Kock. Notably , De Kock played 106 T20Is and scored 2,584 runs, including 1 century and 17 fifties.

However, his most surprising selection came in pace department. Shadab picked former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, who was known for his pace and ability to trouble batters.

Why Did Shadab Khan Leave Out Virat Kohli?

However, the biggest talking point from Shadab Khan's selections was the absence of Virat Kohli. The Pakistan all-rounder has chosen Rohit Sharma as his opener and captain, making it even more noticeable that Kohli did not feature in his list.

Notably, Kohli is widely regarded as one of the greatest T20 batters of his generation. He played 125 T20Is and scored 4188 runs at an outstanding average of 48.69 and strike rate of 137.04. 

He also played a key role in India's 2024 T20 WC triumph, scoring 76 in final and winning POTM award, before announcing retirement.

Moreover, Kohli and Shadab share a warm relationship built on mutual respect. Therefore, his omission from the list is certainly an interesting talking point. 

However, the Pakistan all-rounder did not provide a specific reason for leaving Kohli out, so it would be unfair to assume why the former India captain was not selected.

Also Read: Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad's List-A Record Shattered By England's 33-Year-old Player