Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has urged his side to move on from their defeat to India earlier in the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup and refocus on their ultimate goal of winning the tournament, insisting the team is clear about its goals despite mounting criticism.
PAK vs NAM T20 WORLD CUP 2026: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
The loss to India drew sharp scrutiny, especially as Pakistan had started promisingly. Skipper Salman Ali Agha struck in the very first match to remove Abhishek Sharma, raising expectations of a tight contest between the two rivals.
Instead, Pakistan slipped from a position of strength India surged ahead to a total victory of 61 runs, a result that briefly put Pakistan’s qualification for the Super Eights in doubt. Finally, they sealed their place and commanding a 102-run victory over Namibia on Wednesday.
TRYING TO WIN
Speaking after the win in Namibia, Shadab spoke about the chatter surrounding team selection and tactical calls, including Babar Azam was not sent in to bat and Shaheen Shah Afridi has been left out of the playing XI.
“As a professional, you can’t take these things to heart. The team environment and the messages are very clear, so it’s not a problem for any player. Everyone is trying to help the team win,” Shadab said.
When pressed on whether Pakistan was experimenting with their combinations, he dismissed the suggestion. “Do you really think Pakistan is experimenting that much? I don’t think so. Our messages are very clear. If you talk about Babar not being called to bat, he knows exactly when his role comes into play,” he explained.
“The messages are clear for every player. The team changes according to the conditions and that happens,” he added, suggesting that the decisions were driven by match scenarios rather than uncertainty.
A CRITICAL PART OF THE GAME
Shadab also responded to the criticism leveled at him after the expensive spat against India, which drew comments from former cricketers.
“No, I haven’t really discussed anything with Wasi. As far as criticism goes, you can’t control it. Everyone has their own opinions. I think since I came back, there was only one where things didn’t go well and I faced a lot of criticism because of that,” he said.
“But I don’t need to justify it. I focus on what I can control. It could be a bad day or a bad over. It’s T20 cricket – you can give runs or you can take wickets. I don’t think about it too much.”
Acknowledging the position of former Pakistan players, Shadab argued that scrutiny is part of the national side’s representation. “Our former cricketers have their own opinions and have done great things for Pakistan. But at the end of the day, even in the World Cup, we as a team have achieved results like defeating India in 2021. Criticism is a part of cricket history,” he said.
With a place in the Super Eights secured, Pakistan will now look to ensure that their campaign is not defined by one defeat, but by their response in the knockout stages.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
February 18, 2026