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July 2, 2025

Sajid Khan eyes county stint to enhance white-ball credentials

Sajid Khan eyes county stint to enhance white-ball credentials
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After a breakthrough Test season, Pakistan spinner Sajid Khan, 31, is seeking a move into English county cricket to sharpen his skills in the shorter formats and improve his white-ball prospects. This owes to his stellar form, as he strives for ODI and T20I opportunities.

Sajid has earned 59 wickets at an average of 27.28 over 12 matches, four of them five-wicket hauls, since his debut in Test cricket in April  2021. This highlights his increasing dominance in red-ball cricket. Most recently, he took 15 wickets in the two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, averaging just 17.00.

Despite this, he has yet to receive a white-ball cap. In a recent interview with Samaa TV, he said: “I will look to learn something new if I get any opportunity to play in the white-ball formats in the future.”

England’s county championship—with its mix of red-ball and limited-over matches—is Sajid’s ideal training ground ahead of a potential move to international white-ball cricket.

He disclosed that he’s been practising extensively with the new Dukes ball in Peshawar, bowling hours at a stretch alongside coach Zohaib Khan. “I’ve worked … to prepare with the new ball … for one to two hours on end,” Sajid confirmed to ESPNcricinfo , adding: “It’s about building stamina and control.”

Cricketing legend Shahid Afridi has lent support to the idea, suggesting Sajid’s confidence, fielding, and even batting power could make him an asset in limited-overs cricket. “His confidence is very high … he can also hit sixes in batting,”

What’s next

County deal: Sajid is in advanced talks with at least one English county (likely from Division One) for the 2025 season.

White-ball debut: Selection for Pakistan’s limited-overs games—such as the Champions Trophy or tri-series—remains a realistic aim if he performs abroad.

Domestic form: His continued impact in domestic tournaments like the Quaid-e-Azam trophy (where he recently claimed his 16th five-wicket haul) will strengthen his case.

Pushing into country cricket is a strategic move to push Sajid Khan’s career beyond being a Test specialist. His dominance in red-ball and endorsements from legends like Afridi now place him on a direct trajectory towards the white-ball arena.


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