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Shadab Khan: Pakistan’s match-winner who brings ‘fire and life’

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MELBOURNE: No matter what happens when Pakistan face England in Sunday’s final at the MCG, Shadab Khan has had a Twenty20 World Cup to remember.

Starring with both bat and ball, the 24-year-old all-rounder helped energise Pakistan’s flagging campaign when all seemed lost.

After last-ball defeats to India and Zimbabwe, Shadab pulled them back from the brink with three wickets against the Netherlands for their first win.

He then turned up with a fiery 22-ball 52 and bowling figures of 2-16 during his man-of-the-match performance against South Africa.

The Proteas’ subsequent shock defeat to the Netherlands helped Pakistan gatecrash the semi-finals.

Shadab has been shortlisted for player of the tournament and could well win it if Pakistan do business against England in the decider at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

When team-mates and coaches talk about Shadab they all refer to one thing.

“He brings invaluable energy to the team,” captain Babar Azam said.

Shadab’s commitment and relentless energy, whether it be in training or matches, galvanised Pakistan’s drooping World Cup.

Fire and instinct

Like many Pakistani cricketers, Shadab’s beginnings were humble.

He grew up playing cricket on the rough pitches of Mianwali district, a farming community near the banks of the Indus River in Punjab province.

It also happens to be home to former prime minister and cricket legend Imran Khan and former captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

People who know him well said Shadab has always been relentless in his dedication.

“Shadab’s commitment to cricket is unparalleled,” said his club coach Sajjad Ahmed.

“He used to sleep around 9:00pm and reach the ground before sunrise.

“That’s been his routine for years so that he can practise as much as possible.”

It was Ahmed who suggested Shadab should become an all-rounder and not just focus on batting.

Graduating from club cricket to district level and to Pakistan “A”, Shadab featured in a 2016 junior World Cup in Bangladesh and finished joint top wicket-taker for his team with 11.

The year after, Pakistan Super League franchise Islamabad United picked him as an emerging player.

“We were picking players in the draft for PSL 2017 and every other team was passing him on so I asked Misbah about him,” recalls Hassan Cheema, strategy manager of United.

“Misbah said that Shadab has that fire and instinct that he had not seen in a player for years.

“Six years later you can see his competitive fire and life he brings in the team is invaluable,” Cheema told AFP.

From boy to man 

But to talk only about his energy and commitment risks downplaying Shadab’s talent.

As a leg-spinner variations are Shadab’s assets and he has had success extracting bounce from the hard Australian pitches at the World Cup.

When he bats and fields his style is aggressive — his triple ability gives Pakistan flexibility in team selections.

It was then-Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur who brought him into the side in 2017.

“When we got Shadab into the team he was incredibly exciting as a cricketer,” Arthur told AFP from Britain.

“He was athletic and was a three-in-one cricketer.”

Since then Shadab has added maturity and confidence to his armoury.

“He is a match-winner for Pakistan. The difference I have seen is that he has come from a boy to a man,” said Arthur.

Leaps and bounds

Shadab had a dream international debut when he was named man of the match in Pakistan’s T20 win over the West Indies in Bridgetown in 2017.

That same year one of Shadab’s finest moments came at the Champions Trophy in a showdown against arch-rivals India, where he trapped Yuvraj Singh in front of the wicket.

English umpire Richard Kettleborough was unmoved but Shadab convinced skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed to review — and was proved correct, making Shadab a hero of Pakistan’s win.

“It was very close to the bat but Shadab was confident that it had hit the pad first,” Sarfaraz told AFP.

“It is his confidence in the ground that helps and motivates the team and that is why he is improving by leaps and bounds.”

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In a parallel dimension, Sharjeena and Rubab are praised by Hania Aamir for Naeema Butt.

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Actors Hania Aamir and Naeema Butt are quite complimentary of one another on social media, which seems to go against their respective reel personas of Rubab and Sharjeena.

On Wednesday, the “Mere Humsafar” actress shared a BTS photo of herself with Butt on Instagram, referencing their on-screen altercation with the comment, “But how dare she speak to my family like that?”

Still, Aamir posted the picture on her stories shortly after, praising her co-star. What an incredible privilege it is to collaborate with a very gifted individual like her for Butt. We are your lifelong supporters, Miss Ma’am.

Haye! Butt answered back to the praises, Be it my Sharjeena. Bring yourself to me, Ma paru sa Gudda. Thank you & I love youuu.”

Naeema butt, Haania Aamir, and Kabhi Main Kabhi TumThe film “Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum” features Aamir and Butt alongside Emmad Irfani and Pakistani icon Fahad Mustafa, who is making a comeback to small screen acting.

Yousuf Bashir Qureshi, Tauseeq Haider, Maya Khan, Javed Sheikh, and Bushra Ansari are among the other prominent cast members in the drama.

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Kinza Razzak’s latest video piques viewers’ interest.

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Prominent actress Kinza Razzak uses social media to stay in touch with her followers after quickly capturing their interest with her superb acting abilities.

The “Dilara” actress posted a video to Instagram in which she can be seen cheerfully posing. The feminist outfit in pink is being put up by the diva.

The manner in which Kinza smiled stunned her fans. She captioned the photo, saying, “Life is better in pink.”

Following her, several of her devoted fans left comments filled with compliments and smiley faces.

One person on the internet wrote: “Nice” in the comments area. To express admiration for the actress, a different person posted a series of emoticons.

With over 140,000 followers on Instagram, the actress from “22 Qadam” has demonstrated her unwavering dedication to her career.

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Season 4 of “Mirzapur” is confirmed: Verify the release date.

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‘Mirzapur’, the crime drama that has enthralled global audiences, has been officially renewed for a fourth season.

Prime Video and Excel Media and Entertainment have announced that they are currently in the process of developing the next installment of the series, following the immense success of Season 3. The recent launch of the ‘Mirzapur’ Season 3 bonus episode has generated significant anticipation and conjecture over future developments.

Confirmation has been received for the production of Mirzapur 4.

The announcement of the creation of Season 4 is expected, considering the highly positive reception of Season 3. Nikhil Madhok, the head of India Originals at Prime Video, highlighted the significant influence of the show by claiming that the third season of Mirzapur had surpassed all prior records, including those established by Season 2. This achievement underscores the profound bond that viewers feel with the characters in the show.

Ritesh Sidhwani, a producer at Excel Media and Entertainment, expressed his gratitude by echoing the notion that the response from the audiences has been remarkable. The love and support they received from the start has transformed Mirzapur into a worldwide sensation.

What is the release date for Mirzapur 4?

The precise release date for ‘Mirzapur’ Season 4 is currently unknown, but there is speculation that the new season might not be available until late 2025 or early 2026. The publication schedule for prior seasons has been somewhat erratic, with substantial intervals between them.

There was an almost four-year gap between the airing of Season 2 in October 2020 and the release of Season 3 in July 2024, much to the anticipation of fans. Based on this pattern, it is improbable that a release in 2025 will occur, although there is still a possibility that Karan Anshuman and Puneet Krishna, the developers, may astonish the audience.

Cast members that are coming back

Key characters integral to the ‘Mirzapur’ storyline will make a comeback, much to the anticipation of fans. Pankaj Tripathi will return to play the character of Kaleen Bhaiya, the powerful head of the criminal underworld in Mirzapur. Ali Fazal is set to reprise his role as Guddu Pandit, whose relentless pursuit of power and vengeance has been a central theme in the series. Additional members of the cast who are returning include:

  • Rasika Dugal portrays the character of Beena Tripathi. – Shweta Tripathi plays the role of Golu Gupta.
    Vijay Varma portrays the character of Shatrughan Tyagi.
    Isha Talwar portrays the character of Madhuri Yadav.

Anticipated Elements in ‘Mirzapur 4’

Although the particular storyline specifics for Season 4 of ‘Mirzapur’ are currently undisclosed, it is evident that the conflicts for power and the changes in alliances will continue to escalate. The remarkable survival of Guddu Pandit and the lasting influence of Kaleen Bhaiya indicate that their trajectories will intersect in novel and unforeseen manners.

The series is expected to further delve into the criminal underworld and intricate power dynamics in northern India, which have played a crucial role in its success.

The producers of the widely acclaimed crime series ‘Mirzapur 3’ recently unveiled a supplementary episode on August 30, following a two-month gap since the season’s first broadcast on Prime Video. The episode is advertised as a spectacular comeback of the character Munna Bhaiya, played by Divyendu Sharma. However, it actually consists of a compilation of scenes that were removed from the third season.

The bonus episode commences with Munna Tripathi acknowledging the fervent request from his fans for his reappearance. The departure I made created a significant commotion. I have been informed that our devoted supporters have much longed for my presence. I truly also missed all of you. “Loyalty is of utmost importance to me, and your steadfast support merits a reward,” he declares. Subsequently, he discloses that the episode included previously unreleased footage from ‘Mirzapur 3’.

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