Following India’s crushing 61-run victory over Pakistan in their T20 World Cup 2026 clash, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar launched a scathing assessment of his side, claiming the Suryakumar Yadav-led team has arrived to defend their crown.
Akhtar didn't mince words regarding Pakistan's timid surrender, a result that extends India’s dominant head-to-head record in ICC Men's T20 World Cup matches to 8-1.
"We were absolutely nowhere in the match," a furious Akhtar told the media. "The speed Shaheen was bowling at—125 kmph. That is not what is required in modern-day cricket. The sad reality is that while we once fought India on the ground, today we cannot even dream of beating them."
Akhtar also took aim at the Pakistan Cricket Board's hierarchy. "A chap who knows absolutely nothing has become PCB chairman (Mohsin Naqvi). What can you expect? You have turned a player who cannot win you a game into a superstar (Babar Azam). The biggest crime is giving jobs to incompetent people."
Babar Azam found himself in the line of fire of other Pakistan cricket veterans as well. “If It was in my hands, I would not pick Babar, Shadab and Shaheen again in the T20 team. They have had plenty of chances to come through for Pakistan but failed again,” former captain Shahid Afridi said. He said it was time to groom younger players in the format.
Former skipper and batting great Javed Miandad was not even willing to speak elaborately on the loss but acknowledged that Pakistan's cricket team has been unable to fight when put under pressure. “Bhai bade matches main hi players ko character dikhana padta hai, woh hamare players nahi dekha paye (In big matches, players have to show character. Unfortunately, our players didn't show that character).”
Mohammad Yousaf, another former captain who has always backed Babar, said the debacle should end the T20 careers of Babar and Shaheen. “Time’s up for Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab, Pakistan’s T20 squad needs new performers, not empty wins against weaker sides,” Yousaf posted on X.
Former Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad, a vocal critic of Babar for a while now, felt Babar had played his final game for Pakistan in the format. “Babar gone once again. Maybe it was his last dance to prove his worth in this format,” Shehzad wrote on X.
The defeat has left the Pakistani cricket community despondent with several social media users also mocking the team by saying that perhaps the Pakistan government should have adhered to the boycott call in support of Bangladesh. “Would have been better if we had kept with the boycott,” posted several handles here.
Former captain Moin Khan said perhaps it was time to accept that India were a far more superior side to Pakistan in any format right now. “We got our hopes up again this time, but as a professional cricketer there was always that lingering feeling that the Indian players will come through when it matters the most,” Moin said.
Former captain Rashid Latif said Pakistan's optimism ahead of the match was bolstered by its back-to-back wins in the previous two league games against lower-ranked teams. “But unfortunately, watching the match, it was obvious we got all our planning wrong. We forgot how good this Indian team really is,” he said.
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