Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said Shadab Khan began his career as a bowler but has since developed into a batting all-rounder.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Hesson said Shadab continues to play an important role for the side as a fifth bowler.
He said the recent tour of Bangladesh had contributed to the team's development, with six players making their international debuts during the series.
Hesson said there were still 18 months remaining before the ICC World Cup, providing sufficient time to build a strong team combination.
He said the team management was continuing its search for young talent and was working towards assembling a competitive side ahead of the World Cup.
Referring to playing conditions in Lahore, Hesson said the hot weather was likely to produce spin-friendly pitches rather than fast tracks.
He noted that Pakistan had played on similar surfaces against South Africa last year and said the team was fortunate to have experienced a variety of pitch conditions.
Commenting on the match, Hesson said the pitch was not at fault and credited Australia for playing excellent cricket.
He said not every team was fortunate enough to possess players of the calibre of Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood.
Hesson clarified that Faheem Ashraf had not been dropped for the series. He said the selection reflected expectations of spin-friendly conditions, which reduced the need for a larger group of fast bowlers.
He said Ahmed Daniyal was still developing and could be ready within the next one to two months.
Discussing Abbas Afridi, Hesson said the player had shown promise with the bat but still needed improvement in his bowling.
He praised Arafat Minhas for making a strong start to his career and noted that the youngster had also produced impressive performances in the Pakistan Super League.
Hesson has termed Arafat as a mature cricketer despite his age.
He said Pakistan would encounter a variety of pitch conditions at the World Cup, including some slower surfaces similar to those in Lahore.
Hesson acknowledged that Pakistan's performances in one-day cricket on such pitches had not been up to the required standard and termed the issue as a challenge for the team.
He said selectors would seek players capable of performing in all conditions ahead of the World Cup.







