Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has asked the team management to make some bold calls and drop the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam and Shadab Khan after a disappointing show against India in the T20 World Cup 2026 fixture in Colombo.
“Drop Shaheen, drop Babar and drop Shadab,” the former Pakistani player said.
“Play some new players, give opportunity to young players for the game against Namibia and give them the confidence to perform well,” he stated.
The right-handed cricketer added that the young players should be given an opportunity. “If the senior players do not perform well, you can drop them and give the opportunity to young players,” he added.
Pakistan suffered a massive 61-run defeat against India after they failed to chase down 176 and were bowled out for 114. The batters never looked comfortable against Indian bowling unit and were reduced to 34/4 within the first five overs to eventually get bowled out.
3️⃣/3️⃣ for #TeamIndia 💙
The #MenInBlue win by 6️⃣1️⃣ runs to qualify for Super 8! 💪
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/IgYYH0TeR9 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/hFPqtYIERe
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 15, 2026
Usman Khan tried to hold the innings from one end but he too was undone for 44 off 34 by Axar Patel. Hardik Pandya returned with figures of 2/16 in 3 overs where he also bowled a maiden.
Earlier, India rode on an emphatic batting display from Ishan Kishan who struck a quick-fire 77 off 40 to help India put up a good total on the board. Saim Ayub returned with figures of 3/25 in 4 overs.
“The wicket was not that easy in the beginning, but sometimes you just have to believe what you want to play, what shots are on, and you have to just focus on your strength. So I was just keeping it simple and watching the ball and playing with the field, maybe trying to make them run as much as they can, but yeah, I think it worked pretty well in my side,” Ishan Kishan said after the match.
With this win, India have also registered a place in the Super 8s.
Also Read: T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s Race | Qualification Scenarios For Every Team Explained
