From selling cellphones to striking fear: The rise of Sajid Khan, Pakistan star terrorizing England batters

Following a disappointing loss in the first Test against England in Multan, Pakistan underwent a significant overhaul. Off-spinner Sajid Khan was drafted into the team to offer a fresh spin option, and his inclusion proved to be fruitful as he claimed seven wickets in the opening innings.

Sajid Khan’s performance saw him take the crucial wickets of some of England’s most important batters, including Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Joe Root, before returning to clean up the tail. Slightly unorthodox with his action, Sajid was still effective, making great use of the ageing pitch in Multan, celebrating 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 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.