India dominate Colombo as Pakistan faces a crisis
India secured a solid 61-run victory over Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. This clash took place during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 group stage. India put up a strong total of 175. Ishan Kishan then tore through the bowling attack with a quick-fire 77 off only 40 balls.
His performance left the other side reeling from the start. Meanwhile, Pakistan struggled to build any real partnerships against a relentless Indian bowling unit. They ultimately fell apart for a low 114 in 18 overs. This result puts the national team in a tough spot. They must now beat Namibia to keep any hope of moving forward.
Shahid Afridi calls for a change in the Pakistan team against Namibia
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was quick to point out the three players who he feels should be dropped by Pakistan in the next game against Namibia.
“If I were to make a decision here, then I would say drop Babar, Shaheen and Shadab. Give new players an opportunity against Namibia and build their confidence. We have been seeing this for a long time now that the senior players have not been performing well against good teams, and if they can’t, then give others a chance,” Afridi said on Pakistan’s Samaa TV, as relayed by SportsTak.
Current stats show a worrying trend for these veteran players. They consistently fail to deliver match-winning performances in high-pressure ICC tournaments. Babar Azam managed only single-digit scores during the most important parts of the 2024 and 2025 campaigns. Also, his strike rate stayed well below the modern T20 standard during the recent loss to India.
Shaheen Shah Afridi occasionally gets early wickets, but he gave up 16 runs in a crucial final over against India. He also lacked his famous lethal swing throughout the match. Shadab Khan also faces hard questions. He failed to take wickets in the middle overs and contributed very little with the bat.
The team are stuck with a setup that brings worse results against top teams. This continues even though talented youngsters are waiting on the bench. Experts say the management must pick players based on current form rather than old reputations.
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The squad needs to find its confidence again before the knockout stages. These senior players have been getting plenty of chances to find their rhythm. However, their lack of consistency shows a problem. For things to get better, the team need a big change in how they pick players.
