Pakistan are one of the most consistent teams in the history of the T20 World Cup, having reached at least the semi-finals in six of the last nine tournaments, the final three times and winning the championship title once (in 2009). Their only failure came in 2024, when they suffered a shock defeat to the USA in their opening match and a humiliating group stage exit in a close match against India. They capitalised on their chances with a win over Canada earlier this week, but rain in Florida forced the cancellation of the USA vs Ireland match, leaving co-hosts Pakistan, along with India, as the only two teams in Group A in the Super Eight.
Following the heartbreaking news for Pakistan, veteran batsman Ahmed Shehzad launched yet another scathing attack not just on captain Babar Azam but also on the team’s veteran players, the management and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). In fact, Shehzad, along with Mohammed Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf, demanded Babar’s dismissal.
“In the last five years, Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammed Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf have all played together and got ample opportunities but failed to deliver,” Shehzad said.Hana mana hai‘ Watch on Geo News.
Shehzad blamed the team for lacking leadership, forming a disjointed group and chasing personal milestones, as he highlighted during Pakistan’s match against Canada.
“The groupings that are happening in the team is a lack of leadership. The players keep saying they are learning from their mistakes. What are they thinking? Against Canada, when we had to increase the scoring rate, Rizwan got the slowest fifty but Babar got one run off one ball. There were no devils on that pitch,” he slammed.
“The problem is that Pakistan cricket is being ruined by (players) chasing personal milestones. That’s why we are in this situation now. Players are not learning anything. There is no leadership in this team. You (Babar Azam) are just kings created by social media. You have only played for four-five years…You are doing politics, you don’t have the required fitness level. You have passed your peak cricket and now cricket is declining. You are not letting anyone else in the team. Till now you have only maintained friendship,” he added.
The 32-year-old also slammed PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi for reinstating Babar as captain and appointing Wahab Riaz as the selector just weeks before the T20 World Cup.
“The PCB chairman, who took over two months ago, has already taken two wrong decisions in his tenure so far. First, he reinstated Babar Azam as captain. It was a terrible decision as he had been given ample opportunity as captaincy holder. He has been well tested. Secondly, he chose Wahab Riaz as the selector but Riaz has been handling it very unprofessional for the last two months,” he said.
Shehzad reiterated his earlier comments and demanded the departure of all the veteran players, accusing them of playing politics in the Pakistan dressing room.
“Now people will threaten the PCB chief that if they expel seven-eight cricketers, the aura of the team will be lost. But these are players who have prioritised friendship over country and expelling only two-three of them will not be fair to them. They should all be expelled,” he concluded.
Pakistan will play their final group match against Ireland in Florida on Sunday with both teams having been eliminated from the race for a place in the Super Eight.
