Pakistan’s Shadab Khan (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes Shadab Khan is the frontrunner to take over the national side if Mike Hesson remains as head coach. With Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign hanging in the balance, discussions have already intensified over who could replace current captain Salman Ali Agha. Many experts in Pakistan feel that Agha’s position is under threat after the team did not play in the tournament.Pakistan got a timely boost as England beat New Zealand by four wickets in Colombo on Friday to keep their semi-final hopes alive. To progress, Agha’s men need to beat Sri Lanka in Pallekele by 65 runs or chase down the target with 40 balls remaining to overtake New Zealand in pure run rate.
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Ahead of this crucial match, Afridi pointed out that Shadab’s strong working relationship with Hesson, built during their time together at Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League, was a decisive factor.“If Mike Hesson stays on as coach, then I think Shadab Khan will be the captain. They have a connection and it goes back a long way, stemming from their time at Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League. Shadab is not a bad choice, but if his performance as a bowler is better, it would be great,” Afridi told Samaa.TV.“We need Shadab to come with consistent performances. If that comes, we will also feel comfortable calling him captain. I always said he was the backbone of the team. I think Shadab will be captain because they have no other option. Make him captain but he should be an artist,” he added.Interestingly, after Pakistan’s 61-run defeat by India earlier in the tournament, Afridi urged the team management to drop Shadab due to his problems with both bat and ball.Shadab later reacted strongly to criticism from several former players, including Afridi. After an all-round display against Namibia, he claimed his current team could beat India in the World Cup, something he said former players could not boast about. These remarks caused considerable backlash and he faced heavy criticism from many quarters.Afridi is not alone in predicting a leadership change. Shoaib Malik also hinted earlier that Shadab’s elevation may already be in motion.“Shadab’s name has started doing the rounds as far as the captaincy is concerned,” Malik said on ARY News.As it stands, Pakistan are yet to register a win at the Super 8 stage. Their match against New Zealand was thrown out while they suffered a narrow defeat against England, leaving their semi-final fate hanging on a dramatic turnaround.
