Shadab Khan dedicates victory to 'fans who support the team through thick and thin'

E-Paper | June 06, 2026

Shadab Khan dedicates victory to 'fans who support the team through thick and thin'

Dawn.com AFP Published June 24, 2019

Shadab Khan (L) celebrates with teammate Babar Azam after the dismissal of South Africa's Aiden Markram during the 2019 Cricket World Cup group stage match between Pakistan and South Africa at Lord's Cricket Ground in London on Sunday. — AFP

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As Pakistan secured a crucial victory against South Africa exactly a week after their heavy defeat to India, all-rounder Shadab Khan dedicated the team's win to "the fans of Pakistan cricket who support the team through thick and thin".

"This victory is for the fans of Pakistan cricket who support the team through thick and thin," said Khan on Twitter late Sunday after Pakistan's 49-run victory. "We are working hard and trying to improve with every match."

"Keep backing your country," he asked fans, adding: "We all are playing for Pakistan."

Editorial: In abusing the team, some elements have gone well beyond constructive criticism

Shadab Khan — as well as Wahab Riaz — took three wickets as South Africa surrendered without a fight; he dismissed Quinton de Kock on 47 to ruin South Africa’s partnership of 87 with captain Faf du Plessis, then batsmen Aiden Markram in the 24th over and Rassie van der Dussen in the 40th over.

Chasing 309 to remain in the hunt for a last four berth, South Africa's survival bid petered out on 259-9.

Pakistan were playing for their World Cup survival and their army of fans turned Lord's into a vibrant mass of green.

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Scenes at the @HomeOfCricket after Pakistan’s victory. Repost @therealpcb #WeHaveWeWill #CWC19 #PAKvSA #DawnToday

A post shared by Dawn Today (@dawn.today) on Jun 23, 2019 at 11:44am PDT

Their second win of the tournament gives Sarfaraz Ahmed's side hope of making the semi-finals, with three matches remaining in the battle to finish in the top four in the 10-team group stage.

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Sport

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'Please don't use bad words for players': Amir's message to fans, critics

Amir

Jun 24, 2019 12:31am

Yes, we are back with a bang! Get ready India, we will trash u in the semi final!

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Malik Saab

Jun 24, 2019 12:39am

Kindly give the credit to the whole team. Khan's contribution compared to Haris, Wahab and Amir was minimal but somehow his lastname was more attractive to give all the credit to him and make his statement as the headline. Sometimes the media tries very hard to create heroes for future use.

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Iskander Gilani

Jun 24, 2019 12:53am

@Amir, please wake up and smell the coffee

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Pokemon

Jun 24, 2019 12:58am

@Amir, NZ will thrash and send PAK out of the park,

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Nasir

Jun 24, 2019 01:32am

This means nothing unless you win the next 3 games - so stop acting as if you’ve achieved something huge and instead concentrate on the next 3 matches

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HashBrown®

Jun 24, 2019 01:37am

@Malik Saab, This is the problem. Today's victory was well deserved by Pakistan, with solid performances from our batting and bowling. And yet even now, all we see are negatives. Remember the abuse Amir and Wahab got when they were selected for the squad? They have turned out to be two of our best assets. Shadab Khan had a great game today, and what he said was spot on. One week we beat England (despite some sloppy mistakes) and we're bragging that the trophy is in the bag, the next week we lose to Hindustan and we start abusing players in front of their families. Perhaps as fans we need to take a closer look at our own behaviour.

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Real Pakistani

Jun 24, 2019 01:46am

@Amir, you are from the eastern neighbor pretending to be Pakistani.

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Gordon D. Walker

Jun 24, 2019 02:36am

A win? What fun! Go team, go... Gordon D. Walker Canada

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bhaRAT©

Jun 24, 2019 02:43am

@Iskander Gilani, "@Amir, please wake up and smell the coffee". A very fine and eloquent rebuttal. In-depth analysis, coherent, arguments finely tuned and cogently presented. You have really worked hard at that.

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South

Jun 24, 2019 03:00am

@Amir, how many times we heard the same rhetoric!!!

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Saleem

Jun 24, 2019 03:03am

@Amir, wake up buddy and be grateful for today's face saving win. I am a Pakistani and I believe India deserves the World cup

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parveez shafi

Jun 24, 2019 03:08am

We won . We made lots of mistakes. Other teams will punish us. But positive criticism but not rude to players and family

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Modi

Jun 24, 2019 03:13am

Pakistan played well. Now we will be nervous as only pakistan worry us.

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Julia

Jun 24, 2019 03:21am

I voted on DAWN Pakistan would defeat South Africa.

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ABCD

Jun 24, 2019 05:37am

Yes, dedicate every match performance to fans henceforth.

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SIMON ABRAHAM

Jun 24, 2019 05:38am

@Amir, keep dreaming and dont forget 2011 world cup semis

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Jun 24, 2019 05:39am

Welcome to the greenshirts club. Keep it up and hang on tough.

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Hindustani

Jun 24, 2019 06:08am

New Zealand will send Pak packing in the next match. :-)

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Bipul

Jun 24, 2019 06:15am

Pakistan will repeat 1992.

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Khurram

Jun 24, 2019 06:24am

Remaining 3 matches are relatively easy. Top 4 finish is very likely. If spirits remain high then we can beat any team to win the trophy.

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Doctor H

Jun 24, 2019 06:51am

Three difficult games yet to come. Nezealand are unbeaten. Bangladesh are consistently scoring around 300 or more against all sorts of bowling. And Afghanistan just beat Pakistan in a warm up game.

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Iran

Jun 24, 2019 07:16am

Congratulations. But it seems credit should be given to Sarfaraz who bursted at the team and the fans. Specially the one who had filed a case against the pcb and the selection committee. People knew and so did every member of the pakistani team that this was not the true and honest pakistan cricket game which they had displayed against Australia. West Indies .India. Now lets hope to see the continuance of this game play by the pakistani cricket team in the remaining matches and hope that this unity will be more colourful as the days go by. No credit to the selection committee this win was a display of true patriotism and wanting to prove that the critics arecwrong which is alsova good sign. At the end we all need pakistan to win . pakistan zindabad.

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ajay

Jun 24, 2019 07:18am

@Amir, ya Rohit sharma is waiting for shadab khan and Wahab.

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ajay

Jun 24, 2019 07:19am

Pakistan will not be even in semi final...

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salma

Jun 24, 2019 07:22am

There are far to many fair weather fans.....who start to berate the players when things are going bad! Well played Team Pakistan

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salma

Jun 24, 2019 07:23am

@Malik Saab, The headline is about his tweet not the article giving him accolades over other contributors! Please read and comprehend the article

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MS Dhoni

Jun 24, 2019 07:48am

@Amir, we are ready to make it 8-0 We play not by luck but the pro skill sets.

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Shahid khawaja

Jun 24, 2019 08:05am

@Amir, Pak team has not won the world cup yet. India is still a better and well decipline team. Yes we played slightly better than SA and won, but like Miandad said there are still major weaknesses in our team like dropping catches, no proper field placing,lacks physical fitness . If the captain and the bowlers are unable to find the weaknesses of opposition batting side then it's a problem. The losses to India and other teams have exposed our team.

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Khushi

Jun 24, 2019 08:06am

@Amir, we are waiting for 8~0

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Semaak

Jun 24, 2019 08:14am

We are always going to support you guys.

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MEDUSA

Jun 24, 2019 08:20am

A huge congrats to Team Pakistan for their hard work and dedication in their victory match over South Africa! Captain Sarfaraz Is a humble leader who never gave up on his fellow players and fought the good fight despite all the haters and naysayers. We wish our Pakistan World Cup team continued success all the way through to the final match! As dedicated diehard Pakistan Cricket fans from all corners of the world, we have strong faith in you and firmly believe that through consistent hard work Team PK will be victorious again and again INSHALLAH!

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Daksha

Jun 24, 2019 08:22am

@Amir, Ok now do not lose to afganistan.well played yesterday

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Jun 24, 2019 08:22am

Don’t get too excited after this victory, need a lot more to reach final, for instance, prayers.

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Shan

Jun 24, 2019 08:41am

No such fan existed. Everyone I know was insulting the team and their families.

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Razzak

Jun 24, 2019 08:47am

Too late, NZ,AUS.IND,ENG top 4 already to go forward,

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Vishal

Jun 24, 2019 09:15am

Well done Pakistan. Next match against NZ is CRUCIAL!! This will be NZ's best chance to seal a semi final berth, with Australia and England left to play, so may not be as easy as this dejected South African team with nothing to play for was. Similarly, with Bangladesh and Afghanistan waiting, this gives Pak a great platform to collect points and momentum ahead of the knockouts. Should be an amazing match.

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Sr nazeer

Jun 24, 2019 09:44am

Shadab is world class like babar he is an old school leg spinner unlike the slow medium fast bowlers meandering as legspinners.

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Jun 24, 2019 09:45am

SA was defeated by Bangladesh too,they have played that bad in tournament. Pakistan team should just focus on real improvements with the breathing space provided by this win.

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Tariq

Jun 24, 2019 10:17am

Sorry to say the loss with India can never be forgotten by fans where as SA struggling to comes out from the worst performance ever in the World cup tournament. winning with such bottom line team might be some thing for team but not for fans of Pakistan.

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Lohpurush

Jun 24, 2019 10:53am

@Amir, We look forward to a contest. Last 3 ODIs between Ind vs Pak are one sided . My prayers with you for Semi Final Berth. But buddy , sports should not be a medium to settle score.

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Anonymouseee

Jun 24, 2019 11:19am

It’s the Indians that pretend to be Pakistani posters and bash Team GREEN. We hardcore Pakistanis will always support our team, no matter what. Go Team GREEN.

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Ghazi

Jun 24, 2019 11:22am

One victory means nothing! Pakistan cricket through thick and thin Sheesha smoke...enough said!

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Shahid

Jun 24, 2019 12:11pm

Shadab Khan, we have always backed our team but this victory is too late to qualify for semifinals. There is next to nil possibility of our advancing even if we win the remaining 3 matches too. For us to qualify, England will have to lose 2 of their 3 matches, India 3 of their 4, or Australia must lose all three remaining matches. So it seems, we can only enjoy the wins and should be ready to pack our bags when league matches are played.

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Waqar Khan

Jun 24, 2019 12:16pm

So technically we Are backing the game that was brought to us by our Masters the British and now this game is being played for Pakistan?

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Waqar Khan

Jun 24, 2019 12:16pm

South Africa couldn't play doesn't mean Pakistan did good

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Waqar Khan

Jun 24, 2019 12:17pm

We can't play with NZ

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Shahid

Jun 24, 2019 12:19pm

Shadab Khan, We do keep backing you people even when you turn your backs on us. We do it even when you drop 7 catches and miss a run out from 2 yards in a single match. And finally, I have a request, please sit down and chalk out bowling plans for Kane Williamson, Guptil and Grandhomme instead of just eating burgers and pizza.

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Asif

Jun 24, 2019 12:21pm

Well played but how the skill be elevated in a day victory. Imran Khan, Miandad, Virat K , one of the legends of their times. Appreciate all the great players. Be rationalle and revamp as per our heroes loke Ramiz etc etc

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Raj

Jun 24, 2019 01:18pm

That's the problem of pakistan players ....Tweeting such statements as if they have defeated a strong team. @Amir - The main reason PAK is not performing well is because FANs like you who starts praising instantly and go high just after winning a simple match and forgets how they performed in the other previous matches. You guys are so emotional and thats where all the pak players finds an opportunities to get support which they don't deserve sometimes. . It's called emotional black mailing . Grow up mate.

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Omprakash P.

Jun 24, 2019 02:02pm

That's your problem - one win and you'll think you are invincible. That's exactly what happened after your freak win against England. Sure you'll beat South Africa soundly but sterner tests are around the bend. To pompously declare Pakistan can now beat India is rather juvenile because beating a depleted side like South Africa is not exactly beating a formidable side like India (provided you'll win all your remaining matches & hope to make it to the semis).

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Rangarajan Raghavachari

Jun 24, 2019 02:25pm

@Amir, One victory and u are back to old ways. Thrashing,bashing,smashing are not languages of one's with good EQ..Hold your horses! Have humility in win and accept defeat if it happens..! Continuous improvement and consistency is the order of the day and the work is cut out in fielding..Pl improve .that first..You can thrash no one but yourself by dropping seven catches and never be so lucky again ?

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