Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has responded sharply to Shadab Khan after the all-rounder reminded critics that he was part of the team that defeated India at the 2021 T20 World Cup. Afridi acknowledged the historic win but said handling success is just as important as achieving it.
Afridi responds to Shadab’s reminder
The exchange follows Pakistan’s 102-run victory over Namibia in Colombo in their Group A fixture of the 2026 T20 World Cup. After the match, Shadab, 27, referred to criticism from former players, including Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf. He pointed out that his side had succeeded against India in a World Cup, something previous generations had not managed.
"Shadab was absolutely right when he said that we didn't beat India in the World Cups, but his side did. They got respect after that, but they couldn't handle it. By the respect thing, I mean that after they defeated India, they could not handle the issues between them. Shadab should also know that when he was not able to perform for the team, we guys stood up for him on national television, saying he is the backbone of the team", Afridi said.
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Afridi, however, said that while Shadab was right about the 2021 win in Dubai, the team struggled to manage expectations after earning that respect. He added that senior players had publicly supported Shadab during difficult phases in his career, calling him the backbone of the team when his performances dipped.
“I know Shadab, he is a very good guy, he has always spoken to us respectfully. When people talked about us during our playing days, we always backed up our words with our actions on the field. Not against the smaller teams, we used to perform against the bigger teams."
Call to deliver in Super 8s
The former captain also suggested that strong outings against top teams would be the ideal answer. Pakistan have qualified for the Super 8s under skipper Salman Ali Agha and are set to face New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka in the next round.
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"So Shadab beta, aap bhi performance kariye. Beta performances karo. We stood by you in your difficult times; you didn't play domestic cricket, yet you still got into the national team. If you want to answer us, then do it by performing on the field. Perform and let the World Cup get over, we will get quiet after that,” Afridi said.
Shadab delivered an impressive all-round show against Namibia, scoring an unbeaten 35 and claiming three wickets. But Afridi made it clear that consistency against stronger opposition will matter more.
Pakistan begin their Super 8s campaign against New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday, with attention firmly on how the team responds on the field.
