'They were great but....' - Shadab Khan lashes out amid criticism from senior Pakistan player following their loss against India in T20 World Cup 2026

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has issued a strong response to criticism from former cricketers, stating that while he respects their legacy, the current team has achieved milestones that previous generations could not. His remarks come amid growing scrutiny of Pakistan’s performances and team selections during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026.

After Pakistan's loss against India in the previous game, many former cricketers have criticised the team and the way they have handled the situations. Even in the Asia Cup 2025, Pakistan and India met three times and lost all the matches. Hence, this recent defeat drew a lot of criticism against the players. 

"I can’t control criticism. Ex-cricketers are legends, no doubt individuals they were great, but they couldn’t do for the team, that’s why we are here , We beat India in 2021, which is something even they couldn’t," said Shadab Khan at the press conference. 

Despite the criticism, Shadab remains a key figure in Pakistan’s lineup due to his all-around abilities and leadership qualities. Meanwhile, India have always had an upper hand on Pakistan, especially in the ICC events. They defeated the Men in Green by 61 runs in the previous game and qualified for the Super 8 stage. 

Pakistan qualify for Super 8 stage, beat Namibia by 102 runs

The Men in Green have finally qualified for the Super 8 stage in the T20 World Cup 2026 by beating Namibia by 102 runs on February 18. They played an incredible game of cricket where Sahibzada Farhan slammed a 58-ball century to help Pakistan reach 199 runs in the first innings. 

Defending a mammoth total was easy for them with the kind of bowling attack they have. Namibia were bowled out for just 97 runs, thanks to Usman Tariq's four wickets and Shadab Khan's three wickets. For an outstanding batting performance, Farhan won the Player of the Match award.