T20 World Cup 2022: Pakistan's superstar Shadab Khan is being tipped as the MVP of the 2022 T20 World Cup

Now that in itself means little. Babar Azam is a captain who commands the respect of his squad; as such, anyone would have done the same for him. 

But it is telling that it was Shadab Khan, one of the team's younger players but also someone seen as their heartbeat, who was the first to go to his skipper. 

Indeed, one can argue that it summed up the role Shadab Khan played for the Pakistan cricket team during the World Cup – and he was a key reason they made it to the final, to begin with. 

Firstly, he played a clutch game for the team during their must-win match over South Africa. People remember Pakistan beating Bangladesh to seal their spot in the semis, but that would not have been possible without them beating the Proteas. 

In that game, Pakistan put up a competitive total of 185-9 in their 20 overs thanks in no small part to Shadab Khan's 22-ball 52 coming in towards the later stages of the innings. 

Without that knock, Pakistan was staring at a total in the 150 range, which might not have been enough to put any scoreboard pressure on South Africa. 

However, Shadab Khan's knock ensured they had a solid target to defend – and Shadab Khan again broke the back of the South African batting. 

He dismissed Temba Bavuma when the much-maligned South African skipper was finally finding some form, and he also sent the dangerous Aiden Markram back to the shed. 

He was again at his imperious best in the next game with the ball. In a must-win game against Bangladesh, they were in a decent position at 73-1 when Shadab Khan struck. 

He dismissed Soumya Sarkar and Shakib al Hasan off successive balls, and Bangladesh never recovered from the double blow, posting a paltry 127 that Pakistan chased down with ease. 

But it wasn't just his stats that made it an impressive World Cup for him – although they helped his case considerably. 

It's also the fact that he was, in many ways, the team's heartbeat. Not only was Shadab Khan their sole wrist spinner, but he was also their only true all-rounder, who was not only able to bat well but also bowl four full overs. 

He was also in the thick of things whenever he could get involved. His fielding was lauded, as he is a safe catcher and can effortlessly affect run-outs. 

And he also embodied the never say die attitude and spirit of the team, who defied the odds on numerous occasions to make it to the final. 

Shadab Khan's all-around ability and consistency mean his feats in this World Cup will be remembered for years to come – even if his team stumbled in the final hurdle against admittedly more vigorous opposition.