Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar and out-of-favour opener Ahmed Shehzad hit out at the team management after Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup, calling the setup “absolutely clueless” after their heartbreaking exit.
Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, kept their hopes alive with a big win over Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Saturday. However, the victory did not come by the required margin overhaul New Zealand on Net Run Rate as England and New Zealand progress to the last four.
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Speaking on PTV Sports’ Game On Hai after the match, Akhtar launched a scathing assessment of the campaign and questioned the team selection that was made during the tournament.
“Absolutely clueless. I think the Pakistan management is absolutely clueless. By picking the right team today, they proved the team they played for the entire tournament wrong,” Akhtar said during the post-match discussion.
Akhtar’s remarks reflected frustration with what he proposed there was a delayed correction in the combination — a change that came only when Pakistan’s chances of qualifying hung in the balance.
Shehzad, meanwhile, echoed similar concerns on his YouTube channel, questioning what the current setup has achieved in the three years it has been in existence
“This setup has been in place for three years now, and instead of our vehicle moving forward, it is going in the opposite direction. There is no improvement to be seen. During the Asian Cup, we were promised that the youngsters would be developed and other areas would be strengthened. But in what area have they been strengthened? We didn’t support you when you brought youngsters into the Asian Cup team?” Shehzad said.
The 33-year-old also raised questions about tactical decisions, particularly the reshuffle at the top of the order. He pointed to the 84-run partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan in the Asia Cup final against India and wondered why that opening combination was changed.
“What was the need to change that opening combination? You should have fixed the middle order,” he said.
Shehzad further criticized the decision to place Babar Azam at No.4. “And this is how you fix the middle order? By bringing Babar Azam into the mix? Someone who was unable to bat in easy conditions, either as an opener or at one-down, is now playing at No.4. Are you picking teams based on social media pressure?
“You have been given three years to fix Pakistan cricket. Isn’t that enough time to complete the job? Even if you don’t win, at least you show some improvement. But there is no improvement either, you don’t qualify,” he added.
Pakistan’s task ahead of the Sri Lanka clash was steep. They needed to either win by 65 runs or chase down the target in 13 overs to overtake New Zealand in net run rate. After posting 212/8, they were required to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less.
Instead, the Dasun Shanaka-led side passed the 147 mark and nearly chased down a target of 213 runs, with Shanaka hitting an unbeaten 76 and Pavan Rathnayake contributing 58. While Pakistan secured victory on the night, it proved insufficient – their campaign ended not in collapse but with a lead that just wasn’t big enough.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
March 1, 2026 09:42 IST
