Shadab Khan Criticized by Former Cricketer Basit Ali
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has expressed strong views regarding all-rounder Shadab Khan after Shadab responded to criticism from former players about his performance in the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India. Several ex-cricketers suggested that Shadab, along with teammates Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, should be dropped from the T20I squad following a disappointing loss to India.
In defense of his performance, Shadab pointed out that many of those criticizing him had never managed to beat India in a World Cup match during their careers. He emphasized that the current team achieved that feat in 2021. “Our past players have their opinions, but they have never beaten India in the World Cup, while we did it in 2021,” Shadab stated.
Basit Ali, however, was not pleased with Shadab’s remarks. He suggested that Shadab’s place in the team might be unfairly influenced by his relationship with head coach Mike Hesson. Speaking on ARY News, Basit questioned why Shadab was promoted to bat higher in the order against easier opponents. “He gets promoted because he is favored by Mike Hesson. If a different coach were in charge, I would like to see where he would bat,” Basit commented, recalling an incident where Shadab was distracted on his phone during a trip to England with the A team.
Adding more fuel to the fire, Basit compared Shadab to spin legend Saqlain Mushtaq, who is also Shadab’s father-in-law. “Saqlain was a match-winner. Shadab should learn from players like him,” Basit said during a television program.
Basit also voiced concerns about how the current selection process differs from the past. He noted that players from the 1990s and early 2000s earned their spots based on their playing skills rather than connections.
Pakistan’s recent 61-run loss to India in the T20 World Cup illustrated the ongoing challenges they face against their rivals, with India leading the T20 World Cup meetings 8 to 1. The only win for Pakistan came during the 2021 World Cup in Dubai.
Reflecting on team dynamics, former great Mohammad Yousuf expressed his worries that the team’s victory against India may have led to overconfidence. He mentioned that since that win, some players have been disrespectful, often distracted during team discussions. “You need to stay grounded, regardless of past successes,” Yousuf emphasized.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan, under the captaincy of Salman Ali Agha, advanced to the Super 8 stage after a decisive 102-run win over Namibia earlier this week. However, the clash between the opinions of past and present players continues to raise questions about accountability and performance standards within the national team.
