Pakistan underwent a host of changes after the difficult loss in the first Test against England in Multan. Off-spinner Sajid Khan was brought in to provide the hosts with another spin option and made an immediate impact as he took seven wickets in the first innings.

Sajid Khan’s performance saw him take crucial wickets of some of England’s leading batsmen, including Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Joe Root, before returning to clear the tail. Sajid was somewhat unorthodox in his action and was still effective. He made great use of the aging field in Multan and celebrated with fire and fighting spirit for every scalp he took.

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

He was something of a late bloomer in his professional cricket career, making his first-class debut for Peshawar only at the age of 23. Opportunities to excel in sports did not come easy for Sajid, who suffered a series of setbacks in his youth.

The loss of his father at a young age meant that young Sajid had to work whatever jobs he could find, including gripping and batting for a little money here and there, and selling mobile phones, always with the intention of fulfilling his dream of playing professional sports to practice and finance.

After progressing through the underage levels, Sajid said he struggled to find his way into a Peshawar team that had a lot of talent in front of them. He took a six-month visa to the UAE and emigrated to Dubai, where he worked at the airport and played cricket on the side. At his mother’s insistence, he would return soon enough. Sajid continues to praise his mother for the incredible support she has shown him throughout his journey.

Breaking through into the spotlight

He would finally find his chance when he went on trial with Peshawar, and it was not an opportunity he would miss again. He formed connections within the team and even borrowed 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 make his debut in the other formats in the following years, and once he burst onto the scene, it didn’t take long for him to figure into Pakistan’s plans. With a shortage of top-level spin talent and the country looking for players who can make a difference, Sajid earned his debut against South Africa in 2021.

Sajid’s return to the Pakistan team was successful, having taken part in their low-key tour of Australia early this year. A breakthrough performance helped Pakistan establish a first innings lead in the second Test in Multan, and the off-spinner will hope this is just the start of a long and fruitful spell in the team.