Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur found himself on the losing end of a bet which saw him take out the entire team for dinner as a result.
The South African had laid down the gauntlet to young leg-spinner Shadab Khan before the start of the team’s tour of Ireland and England. According to a report by Geo TV, Arthur had challenged Shadab to improve his batting on the tour. The 19-year-old had then told the coach that he would score three half-centuries in as many matches.
And that is exactly what Shadab did as the leg-spinner went on to register a half-century in each of the three Tests against Ireland and England.
In the one-off Test against Ireland in Dublin, the youngster rescued Pakistan from a perilous position in the first-innings with a maiden half-century (55). Shadab could be seen raising one finger towards the Pakistan dressing room indicating he had crossed the first hurdle.
Shadab raises his bat after his half-century against Ireland.
At Lord’s against England in the first Test, Shadab repeated his feat with a knock of 52 in Pakistan’s nine-wicket win over the hosts. Here again, the leg-spinner raised two fingers towards the dressing room while completing the milestone.
In the second and final Test at Headingley, Shadab made it three fifties in three matches with a 56-run knock in the first innings. This time too, he would raise three fingers towards the dressing room indicating that the job had been done.
“He (Shadab) did what he said he would,” Arthur was quoted as saying after he honoured the bet and took the team out for dinner.
Pakistan are now scheduled to play two T20Is against Scotland at Edinburgh on June 12 and 13 to wrap up their extensive tour of the UK.