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Pakistan's cricket community is in a state of significant debate following a decisive loss to India in the T20 World Cup. Public statements from former players suggest a widespread dissatisfaction with the current team's performance, particularly singling out senior figures. The fallout from this match has reignited long-standing discussions about player selection, team strategy, and the overall health of Pakistan's cricket system.
Team's Performance Under Scrutiny
India secured a commanding victory in the T20 World Cup, a result that has triggered strong reactions from prominent former Pakistani cricketers. The team's batting order struggled early, with Babar Azam facing early pressure. This defeat has not only impacted Pakistan's progression in the tournament but also brought renewed focus onto key players and systemic issues.
Early Collapse: Pakistan's top order faltered, losing three wickets within the first two overs of Babar Azam's innings.
Player Performance: Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya set a strong tone with the new ball for India. Axar Patel was instrumental in dismissing Babar Azam.
Tournament Impact: The loss has jeopardized Pakistan's chances of reaching the Super 8 stage.
Calls for Overhaul of Senior Players
Following the team's defeat, several well-known former Pakistan cricketers have openly suggested that senior players should be removed from the playing squad. This sentiment appears to be directed at multiple prominent figures within the team.
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"Shahid Afridi urged the team management to drop all three of Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab for Pakistan’s final group-stage game against Namibia."
This demand suggests a belief among some former players that the current senior leadership and key performers are not meeting expectations, prompting a call for immediate changes. The performance of Babar Azam, in particular, has become a focal point of this discussion, with his strike rate and record against India being questioned.
Historical Context of Cricket and Politics
The involvement of former players in public commentary is not new, and past events reveal a complex relationship between cricket administration, political decisions, and public statements. Notably, Shahid Afridi has previously voiced opinions on politically charged cricket matches.
Past Boycott Stance: In February 2026, Shahid Afridi expressed "regret" over Pakistan's government decision to boycott a T20 World Cup match against India. However, he also stated his support for the government's stance, calling for the ICC to act impartially.
Sports and Politics Separation: Afridi has historically advocated for keeping sports and politics separate. This was evident in July 2025 when he commented on the cancellation of a legends match between India and Pakistan, suggesting that one player's actions could spoil the event for others.
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"He called on the ICC to act impartially and resolve the issue fairly for all members."
This suggests a desire for international sporting bodies to remain neutral in politically influenced decisions that affect sporting events.
Player-Specific Criticism
The performance and future of key players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are under intense scrutiny. Their contributions, particularly in high-stakes matches against India, are being re-evaluated by former cricketers and fans alike.
Babar Azam's T20 Future: Debates surrounding Babar Azam's strike rate and overall effectiveness in T20 internationals have intensified. His recent innings, where he came in at a critical juncture of the match (13/3 within two overs), has further fueled this discussion.
Shaheen Afridi's Role: Shaheen Afridi is also named among the senior players whose position in the team is being questioned by former cricketers like Shahid Afridi.
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"The defeat not only dented their Super 8 hopes but also reignited a fierce debate around Babar Azam’s role, the bowling unit’s decline, and systemic issues within Pakistan cricket."
The collective performance of the bowling unit is also cited as a concern, indicating that the issues extend beyond individual player form.
Expert Analysis
Commentary from former players like Shahid Afridi carries significant weight within Pakistan's cricketing landscape. His public statements reflect a sentiment shared by a segment of the cricket fraternity that believes significant changes are necessary to improve the team's fortunes.
Shahid Afridi, a former Pakistan captain, has been vocal in his criticism. His recent statements indicate a belief that the current squad, especially senior members, may have reached the end of their effective tenure.
This situation highlights a recurring challenge in international cricket: managing player transitions and responding to public and former-player pressure after disappointing results.
Conclusion and Implications
The current discussions stemming from the T20 World Cup loss to India point towards a critical juncture for Pakistan cricket. The demands for changes to the senior playing contingent suggest a desire for a fresh approach to rebuilding the team.
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Future Selection: The upcoming matches will likely be closely watched to see if the team management considers the public calls for dropping senior players.
Team Morale: The intensity of these public criticisms could impact team morale and player confidence.
Systemic Review: The repeated references to "systemic issues" suggest that the problems might require deeper introspection beyond just player selection.
The situation underscores the high expectations placed upon the Pakistan cricket team, particularly in matches against arch-rivals India, and the significant influence of former players in shaping public opinion and team direction.
Sources
Zeenews India: Pakistan legends publicly demanded senior players be dropped after India’s dominant T20 World Cup win. Babar Azam’s strike rate and record against India have reignited debate over his T20 future. For context, Pakistan were 13/3 inside two overs when Babar walked in. The defeat not only dented their Super 8 hopes but also reignited a fierce debate around Babar Azam’s role, the bowling unit’s decline, and systemic issues within Pakistan cricket. India’s new-ball burst from Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya set the tone, and Axar Patel dismissed Babar soon after.https://zeenews.india.com/cricket/shahid-afridi-to-ramiz-raja-pakistan-legends-react-after-india-s-t20-world-cup-2026-hammering-3017381.html
Indian Express: Afridi urged the team management to drop all three of Shaheen, Babar and Shadab for Pakistan’s final group-stage game against Namibia on Wednesday. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches. Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more.https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/time-up-babar-azam-shaheen-afridi-pakistan-legends-react-india-t20-world-cup-loss-10534412/
Republic World: In the past as well, he has made bizarre claims on India. It is not surprising at all to hear Afridi speak on such lines. As it stands, the match between India and Pakistan in Colombo scheduled for February 15 will happen. While this news has brought a lot of relief for the sponsors and the broadcasters and the ICC, it is clear that Pakistan and their ex-cricketers and fans are not exactly happy with the call. Updated 10 February 2026 at 13:10 IST WATCH | 'Chaar Gujarati…': Shahid Afridi's Shock Reaction After Pakistan Make U-Turn, Agree to Play India in ICC T20 World Cup India vs Pakistan: Shahid Afridi is absolutely not pleased after Pakistan backtracked on their stance and agreed to play India at the T20 World Cup.https://www.republicworld.com/cricket/watch-chaar-gujrati-shahid-afridi-s-shock-reaction-after-pakistan-make-u-turn-agree-to-play-india-in-icc-t20-world-cup
NDTV Sports: Pakistan government has confirmed a boycott of the Indian team at the T20 World Cup 2026 Shahid Afridi expressed "regret" over Pakistan's decision but supported the government's stance Afridi called on the ICC to act impartially and resolve the issue fairly for all members Afridi, who has time and again advocated for sports and politics to be kept separate, expressed 'regret' over Pakistan's decision to not play against India in the T20 World Cup. Regrettably, Pakistan won't play India at the #T20WorldCup, but I stand behind my government's decision. However, he also stood behind his government's decision while asking the ICC to resolve the matter through impartial actions. Afridi himself was at the centre of a controversy after India Legends pulled out of a match against Pakistan Legends in the World Championship of Legends at Edgbaston. It is rather bizarre that the same Afridi is now backing the political interference of his country's government, especially in an event of the stature of the T20 World Cup.https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/regrettable-shahid-afridis-blunt-take-on-pakistans-refusal-to-play-against-india-in-t20-world-cup-2026-10930310
Indian Express (Boycott): Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches. On Sunday, hours after the Pakistan government announced that the cricket team of the country will not play against India in Colombo, the ICC has warned to reconsider the stance, making the board aware of the long-term implications they might face as a result of boycotting the high-profile fixture.https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/pakistan-boycott-india-t20-world-cup-match-shahid-afridi-icc-10509490/
NDTV Sports (Legends Match): What is Shahid Afridi in front of cricket? NDTV Sports Desk Updated: July 22, 2025 12:29 am IST India vs Pakistan match in World Championship of Legends was cancelled due to player withdrawals Shahid Afridi urged separating cricket from politics and criticised India's withdrawal stance Afridi also said, "Sometimes, there's one rotten egg that spoils everything for everyone else." The cancellation of the India vs Pakistan match in the World Championship of Legends on Sunday triggered the sports vs politics debate again, with Pakistan Champions captain Shahid Afridi suggesting that the two should be kept separate from each other. If [India] didn't want to play against Pakistan, they should've refused before coming here. Shikhar Dhawan, a member of India Champions' team, categorically said no to playing against Pakistan in the WCL match in Birmingham (England), while a number of other Indian cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, the Pathan brothers, etc. Bringing politics into it or an Indian cricketer saying he won't play against Pakistan - then don't play, just sit out.https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/shahid-afridi-breaks-silence-on-india-vs-pakistan-legends-match-cancellation-says-one-bad-egg-8913917
Cricbuzz: Pakistan Champions Squad: Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Kamran Akmal(w), Fawad Alam, Umar Amin, Asif Ali, Shoaib Malik(c), Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Rumman Raees, Wahab Riaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaqhttps://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/125228/pakch-vs-indch-1st-semi-final-world-championship-of-legends-2025
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