Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has urged his side to move on from their defeat to India earlier in the T20 World Cup 2026 and refocus on their ultimate objective of winning the tournament, insisting that the team remains clear about its goals despite mounting criticism.
PAK vs NAM T20 WORLD CUP 2026: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
The loss to India had triggered heavy scrutiny, particularly because Pakistan had made a promising start. Captain Salman Ali Agha struck in the very first over to remove Abhishek Sharma, raising expectations of a closely fought contest between the two rivals.
Instead, Pakistan slipped from a position of strength as India surged ahead to claim a comprehensive 61-run victory, a result that briefly put Pakistan’s Super Eights qualification in doubt. They eventually sealed their spot with a commanding 102-run win over Namibia on Wednesday.
TRYING TO WIN
Speaking after the Namibia victory, Shadab addressed the chatter around team selection and tactical calls, including Babar Azam not being sent in to bat and Shaheen Shah Afridi being left out of the playing XI.
“As a professional, you can’t take these things to heart. The team’s environment and messages are very clear, so it’s not a problem for any player. Everyone is trying to help the team win,” Shadab said.
When pressed on whether Pakistan were experimenting with their combinations, he rejected the suggestion. “Do you really think Pakistan experiments that much? I don’t think so. Our messages are very clear. If you’re talking about Babar not being called to bat, he knows exactly when his role comes into play,” he explained.
“The messages are clear for every player. The team changes according to conditions, and that’s what is happening,” he added, indicating that decisions were driven by match scenarios rather than uncertainty.
CRITICISM PART OF THE GAME
Shadab also responded to criticism directed at him following an expensive over against India, which drew comments from former cricketers.
“No, I didn’t really talk to Wasim about anything. As for criticism, you can’t control it. Everyone has their own opinions. I think since I came back, there was just one over where things didn’t go well, and because of that, I faced a lot of criticism,” he said.
“But I don’t need to justify that. I focus on what I can control. A bad day or a bad over can happen. It’s T20 cricket — you can give runs, or you can take wickets. I don’t think too much about it.”
While acknowledging the stature of Pakistan’s former players, Shadab maintained that scrutiny is part of representing the national side. “Our former cricketers have their own opinions, and they’ve done great things for Pakistan. But at the end of the day, even in the World Cup, we as a team have achieved results, like defeating India in 2021. Criticism is part of cricket’s history,” he said.
With a place in the Super Eights secured, Pakistan will now seek to ensure that their campaign is defined not by one defeat, but by their response in the knockout stages.
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