From Selling Cellphones to Wreaking Havoc: The Rise of Sajid Khan, Pakistan's Star Cricketer Dominating England's Batters

Sajid Khan put on a stellar performance by taking the vital wickets of key England batters such as Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, and Joe Root. Despite his unconventional bowling action, Sajid proved to be highly effective on the worn-out pitch in Multan. His passion and determination were evident as he celebrated each wicket with fierce intensity, showcasing his fighting spirit throughout the match.

Sajid has often been in and out of the team for Pakistan, with eight Test matches under his belt since his debut in 2021. His best performance came against Bangladesh in December that year, when he took eight wickets in an innings and 12 matches in total.

He was something of a late bloomer in his professional cricket career, only making his First Class debut for Peshawar at the age of 23. Opportunities to excel in sport didn’t come easy for Sajid, who suffered an array of setbacks in his youth.

Losing his father at a young age meant the young Sajid had to work whatever jobs he could find, including gripping and bats for some money here or there, and selling cellphones, always with the intent of funding his dream to play professional sports.

After making it through the underage levels, Sajid said he struggled with finding his way into a Peshawar team that had plenty of talent ahead of him. He took a 6-month-long visa to the UAE, emigrating to Dubai, where he worked in the airport and played cricket on the side. He would return soon enough at his mother’s behest. Sajid continues to credit his mother for the incredible support she has shown him on his journey.

He would finally find his opportunity as he went for trials with Peshawar, and it wasn’t an opportunity he let slip again. He formed connections within the team, even borrowing shoes from Peshawar teammate Imran Khan Sr. Sajid worked his way up from the second XI to the main team, and established himself at that level for the 2017 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

Sajid would go on to make his debut in the other formats in the following years, and once he broke out onto the scene, it didn’t take long for him to figure in Pakistan’s plans. With a dearth of top-level spin talent and the country on the lookout for players who could make a difference, Sajid earned his debut against South Africa in 2021.

Sajid’s return to the Pakistan team was a successful one, after having taken part in their quiet tour of Australia at the beginning of the year. A landmark performance helped Pakistan establish a first innings lead in the second Test at Multan, and the off-spinner will be hoping this is just the start of a long and fruitful spell in the team.