A 20-year-old top-order batsman, Abdullah Shafique plays professional cricket for Pakistan cricket team. In 2015, Shafique broke into the U19 Pakistan team, touring Sri Lanka, and the next year he was added into the U19 squad for the Asia Cup where Pakistan failed to qualify into the semis against the likes of Indian players Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill. His limitless potential caught the eyes of one of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises- Multan Sultan, who got the services of the youngster just before the 2018 edition of the PSL for 10,000 US Dollars. The right-handed batsman made a historic entrance to the first-class scene playing for Central Punjab when the youngster scored 133 runs on debut against Southern Punjab on December 2, 2019. He was a T20 star in a making in the 2020/21 National T20 Cup, where he featured under Kamran Akmal in Central Punjab. In his debut match against South Punjabs, Shafique thrashed 102 unbeaten off 58 balls to help Central Punjab chase down 201 in the National T20 Cup. The emphatic performances in the National T20 cup paved a way for a maiden national call-up for the home series against Zimbabwe. With most of the seniors taking rest, it was time for the youngsters to shine and Shafique took full advantage, scoring an unbeaten 41 on his T20I debut against Zimbabwe on November 10, 2020. Shafique was further added to the 35 man squad for their T20I tour to New Zealand in December 2020, where he registered ducks in both the matches against a lightning pace attack of the Kiwis. The top order batsman earned his maiden ODI and Test call-ups for Pakistan’s tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe despite having just one first-class and one List A game under his belt. Identified as a true future prospect and, therefore, drafted into the squad as part of his development, Shafique will look to capitalise on this opportunity and cement his position in the Pakistan side alongside his idol Babar Azam. (As of March 2021)
