Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi could be left out of Pakistan’s Playing XI for their upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Namibia, according to a report by Geo News. The report suggests that the team management is unhappy with the underwhelming performances of the two senior stars.
Shaheen conceded 31 runs in just two overs and picked up only one wicket, while Babar managed just 5 off 7 deliveries in Pakistan’s heavy defeat to India national cricket team in Colombo on Sunday. Pakistan were beaten by 61 runs and now face a must-win situation against Namibia to keep their Super 8 hopes alive.
Chasing a target of 176, Pakistan were bowled out for 114. Their innings never gained momentum after they were reduced to 34/4 in the powerplay, with Indian bowlers striking at regular intervals. Hardik Pandya was the standout performer, finishing with two wickets for 16 runs in three overs, including a maiden.
Earlier, Ishan Kishan had powered India to 175/7 with a blistering 77 off 40 balls, setting the foundation for the commanding victory.
Head coach Mike Hesson admitted that the team needs to improve its response under pressure.
“When a guy’s putting you under pressure — are you going to stick to your basics or go away from that? That’s going to be a real challenge because as the tournament progresses, we’ll be put under pressure again,” Hesson said in the post-match press conference.
“All these guys are international players, they’re good players, but when the pressure comes on, are they going to trust their decision-making? That’s something we’ll have to get better at.”
Captain Salman Ali Agha also pointed to execution errors and a poor start with the bat.
“We were believing in our spinners and they had an off day. Execution was missing in some parts. With the batting, we didn’t start well and in T20 cricket, if you lose three or four wickets in the powerplay, you are always chasing the game.”
With the win, India have officially secured their place in the Super 8 stage, while Pakistan now find themselves in a must-win scenario.
