Shadab Khan (শাদাব খান) is a Pakistani international cricketer who plays for the Pakistan national cricket team. He is currently the vice-captain of Pakistan in T20s. He captains Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and under his leadership they won the 2024 PSL for a record third time in the tournament's history.

An all-rounder, Khan is Pakistan's most successful T20I bowler. He is also regarded as one of the best fielders in Pakistan. As of 2022, he has been among the players centrally contracted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Khan was a member of the Pakistan team that won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Shadab Khan was born on 4 October 1998 in Kamar Mushani, Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan. In 2008, his family shifted from Kamarmashani to Rawalpindi where Khan joined Bajwa Cricket Club, a local cricket academy. He then joined the Siddiq-e-Akbar Academy and was later selected in the under-19 team of Attock District.

Khan can speak four languages, Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu and English. In August 2025, he completed his diploma in business management from Inspire London College (ILC).

In the U-19 tri-nation tournament in the UAE (Jan 16, 2016), Pakistan Under-19s beat Australia Under-19s by 109 runs after posting 311. Shadab Khan led the defence with a decisive spell of 4 for 35, using flight and variation to help bowl Australia out for 202 and secure Pakistan’s first win of the event.

In a 2016 ESPNcricinfo feature profile, Khan was noted as Pakistan’s emerging “mystery” legspinner, outlining his repertoire (leg-break, googly, flipper) and how he uses flight, variation, and control rather than just pace through the air.

On 26 August 2016, he made his Twenty20 debut for Rawalpindi in the 2016–17 National T20 Cup. After his impressive performance in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, he was signed to play for Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2017 Caribbean Premier League. Later in 2017, Shadab signed with the Brisbane Heat for the 7th season of the Big Bash League.

In June 2019, Khan was selected to play for the Edmonton Royals franchise team in the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament.

In the 2nd unofficial Test at Bulawayo (Oct 15–18, 2016), Shadab Khan dominated for Pakistan A, scoring his maiden first-class century (129) in a total of 512 and then returning 5 wickets in Zimbabwe A’s second innings to seal an eight-wicket win and a 1–0 series result. The match report highlighted his flight and variation with the ball and his counterattacking lower-order batting as the decisive factors.

He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Pakistan against the West Indies on 26 March 2017. Taking 3 wickets for 7 runs in his spell, he recorded the most economical figures for a bowler completing their four overs on debut in a T20I, and was Player of the Match. The following month, he was added to Pakistan's Test squad for their series against the West Indies.

Khan made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Pakistan against the West Indies on 7 April 2017. He made his Test debut for Pakistan, also against the West Indies, on 30 April 2017. He was part of Pakistan's 2017 Champions Trophy winning squad. In September 2017, he was named the PCB's Emerging Player of the Year.

In late September 2019, Khan said he aimed to become a genuine all-rounder for Pakistan, stressing ongoing work on his batting alongside his leg-spin so he can contribute in multiple roles and improve team balance. He cites Australian cricketer Steve Smith as inspiration in this process.

Better suited for the shorter formats, Khan has been called Pakistan’s “Mr T20”: a multi-role asset who bowls wicket-taking middle-overs legspin (using googly/pace changes), floats in the batting order to target match-ups, contributes late-over hitting and strike rotation, and adds elite fielding and on-field leadership, an integrated skill set that optimises Pakistan’s T20 balance.

Considering former Australian international Shane Warne to be his role-model, Khan is a leg-spinner who relies on generous flight and aerial deception, varying his release and use of the crease, both close to and wide of the stumps, to disrupt a batter’s eye-line. In an April 2017 interview, Khan said his celebrated googly is not his only weapon; he emphasized that his leg-break and flipper are also wicket-taking options.

Khan is regarded as one of the best fielders in Pakistan. Khan has been noted for raising Pakistan’s fielding standards. As a teenager in the Pakistan Super League he drew attention for agile, attacking work and direct hits from backward point, and he has since been regarded as one of the side’s leading fielders.