Pakistan voter Aqib Javed (AP Photo/KM Chaudary) Pakistan coach Aaqib Javed has defended the state of Pakistan cricket following the team’s disappointing exit from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, saying the situation is serious but not catastrophic for the country’s cricketing future.Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals of the tournament despite winning their final Super Eight match, eventually being eliminated due to a lower net rate compared to the other teams in the group.
Pakistan’s 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 campaign
Pakistan’s campaign had several ups and downs during the tournament. Early defeats in the competition put them under pressure, including a heavy 61-run defeat by arch-rivals India, which severely damaged their clean sheet and complicated their chances of qualification.Before the Super Eight stage began, Pakistan needed convincing wins to stay in contention. In their last match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan managed to secure a narrow win but failed to achieve the big margin needed to overtake New Zealand in the net rate. As a result, England and New Zealand advanced to the semi-finals from the group, while Pakistan were eliminated despite their late victory.
Aaqib Javed’s answer after elimination
During the press conference after Pakistan’s exit, Aaqib Javed acknowledged that the team’s failure to reach the semi-finals was worrying, but insisted that it should not be seen as a complete collapse of Pakistan cricket.“It’s a big problem but not so big that it destroys our cricket, Pakistan was knocked out for a clean run, the team was capable enough to play the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.” Aaqib said.Responsibility and a vision for the futureBefore the start of the tournament, Aaqib had stated that he would take responsibility if Pakistan did not perform well in the event. After the early exit, he reiterated that the team management and selectors will review the campaign and learn from the mistakes.
