Worcestershire sign Pakistani pacer Khurram Shahzad in county championship

WORCESTER: Worcestershire County Cricket Club has signed promising Pakistani seamer Khurram Shahzad in hope to change their fortunes in county championship, a move head coach Alan Richardson believes will not only strengthen the club’s pace attack across all formats but also support the player's evolving international career. 

Worcestershire are currently at bottom of the Division one table after 7 matches with a solitary victory, while in the T20 Blast they are at 5th spot in the North group but are hopeful that the recent signing of Pakistani seamer will help them to turn the tables around in the second half of the season.

"We needed a seamer who is going to play in all formats for us," said Richardson, explaining the rationale behind the signing while speaking to Geo News at New Road, Worcester home of Worcestershire CCC.

"Khurram fits that really well in terms of the quality he brings on the pitch. Jacob Duffy's been with us in his half of the season, and then he leaves us to go on a tour in New Zealand, so it's a perfect opportunity."

The 25-year-old pacer, who has already made a name for himself in Pakistan's domestic circuit and caught wider attention during the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Richardson revealed that the club carried out a thorough vetting process before finalising the move. "We've done our due diligence, watched quite a bit, and spoke to quite a few people," he said. "He seems to be a really good fit for us."

Khurram, who already boasts significant experience in Pakistan's first-class scene, is seen by Worcestershire as a bowler on the verge of making long lasting impact at the international level. With early Test exposure and a solid PSL season under his belt, the young quick is aiming to become a regular for Pakistan.

So far he's played in 6 test matches for Pakistan claiming 20 wickets. In recently concluded 10th edition of PSL he was instrumental in helping his team Quetta Gladiators to make into the final where they lost to eventual winners Lahore Qalandars. Khurram played in 8 matches for the Gladiators and bagged 12 wickets. 

But it's his first class experience which helped the management at Worcester to secure the deal. In 59 first class games Khurram has 201 scalps to his name.

"Khurram is 25 years old, but he's already played a lot of first-class cricket," Richardson pointed out. "Last season and in the PSL, I thought he impressed. He's at the start of his international journey and he wants to play more Test matches and international cricket."

Richardson compared Khurram's arrival to that of New Zealand's Nathan Smith last year, who hadn't played international cricket when he joined Worcestershire but has since broken into the national setup. 

"It'd be really nice to help Khurram be part of that, and play a part in how his career evolves," said Richardson. "We're really excited to see him and to have him as part of the Worcestershire family."

Khurram's signing represents not just a key acquisition for the remainder of the season but also a continuation of Worcestershire's tradition of fostering overseas talent while maintaining strong ties with the cricketing community in Pakistan. In recent years leg spinner Usama Mir, fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain and former captain Azhar Ali also featured for Worcestershire across formats.

One of the most influential voices behind the move was none other than Azhar Ali, the former Pakistan Test captain and Worcestershire's overseas star in 2022 and 2023. 

Richardson described Azhar's recommendation as "glowing" and said his input was vital in assessing both Khurram's cricketing abilities and his character.

"Azhar Ali, for me, is an absolute legend," Richardson said. "We were really lucky to have him with us for two years at the club, and we've kept in close contact with him. He's always shown a real interest in how the club continues to progress."

"When we were having a look at seamers and Khurram came on our radar, Azhar was the most obvious person to go to. We spoke to him about Khurram as a player and also as a person, and he was very glowing about him. You trust his opinion on people and players."

The consultation was more than just transactional — it also reaffirmed the enduring relationship between the club and Azhar. "It was really nice to touch base with Azhar and for him to give us some advice on how we move forward," Richardson added.

Khurram, who already boasts significant experience in Pakistan's first-class scene, is seen by Worcestershire as a bowler on the cusp of making a long lasting impact at international level. With early Test exposure and a solid PSL season under his belt, the young quick is aiming to become a regular for Pakistan.