Shahid Afridi questions Shadab Khan’s place after Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 exit

Shahid Afridi strongly criticized Shadab Khan after Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The former captain questioned not only Shadab’s performances but also reports suggesting he could become the next T20 captain. Afridi said Shadab does not even deserve a place in the playing XI. His remarks came during a discussion on Samaa TV.

Pakistan had a mixed tournament this year. After failing to get past the group stage in 2024, they at least reached the Super 8 in 2026. However, they lost to England and India, and their dreams of going to the semi-finals came to an end. They needed to win heavily against Sri Lanka in their last Super 8 match, but they failed to do so.

People expected Pakistan to do well in the tournament since it was played in subcontinent conditions. However, the way they played was outdated and lacked aggression. Their middle order did not perform well at the right time. This brought a lot of criticism for the team.

Afridi Questions Shadab’s Selection and Captaincy Talks

“Looking at his performance, I wouldn’t even keep him in the team, let alone give him the captaincy,” Afridi said on Samaa TV. He reacted to reports that Shadab might replace Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan’s T20 captain. Afridi made it clear that recent performances do not justify such a promotion.

“The head coach is giving Shadab chance after chance. That’s why I said Shadab can become the next Pakistan captain. But looking at his recent performances, he doesn’t even deserve a place in the playing XI,” Afridi added. His comments sparked debate among fans about team selection and leadership decisions.

Shadab featured in six matches during the tournament. He scored 118 runs at an average of 23.60 and a strike rate of 153.25. With the ball, he picked up five wickets at an average of 30.40 and an economy of 8.44. The only bright spot for Pakistan was opener Sahibzada Farhan, who scored 383 runs in six innings at an average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.26, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.