Lahore: Islamabad United’s 21-year-old batting all-rounder, Muhammad Shahzad, has made a notable entry into the HBL Pakistan Super League, marking his debut in the 10th edition of the tournament against Lahore Qalandars. Shahzad, who has played four matches so far, is eager to absorb as much knowledge as possible from his experiences in the league.
Shahzad’s journey began in Dera Ghazi Khan. He has been part of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s pathway program since he represented the Multan Region at the U13 level in 2017. His talent took him to the U16 level, where he played against Australia in Dubai in 2019, and later he was part of the squad that toured Bangladesh. His U19 career highlights include participating in the ACC U19 Asia Cup in Dubai in 2021 and the ICC U19 World Cup in the West Indies in 2022.
Despite being part of the Multan Sultans squad in the ninth edition of HBL PSL, Shahzad did not get the chance to play. However, his impressive performance in the 2024-25 domestic season earned him a spot in the Islamabad United squad. Shahzad scored 706 runs in the President’s Trophy Grade I while playing for PTV, with three centuries and four half-centuries, and took 20 wickets with his right-arm medium-fast bowling. In the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, representing Multan Region, he amassed 335 runs, including a century and a half-century.
Shahzad expressed his enthusiasm about being part of Islamabad United, describing the team environment as incredible. He prepared for the ongoing season by competing in the PCB Inter District Senior tournament, where he adapted to challenging conditions.
He is keen to learn from his teammates, including Shadab Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Sahibzada Farhan, and Mohammad Nawaz, and has engaged in insightful conversations with international players like Jason Holder. Shahzad aims to grasp the nuances of franchise cricket, especially in handling pressure and managing expectations.
Ahead of the HBL PSL X, Shahzad trained with clear role definitions and is prepared to contribute to his team both as a batsman and a bowler. He remains focused on executing his skills effectively and learning from every opportunity in the tournament.