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Former captain Shahid Afridi has called for bold decisions ahead of Pakistan’s last group-stage fixture against Namibia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, stating that the trio comprising Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan should be benched.
The all-rounder made the remarks while appearing on a private channel, where he highlighted the shortcomings of the senior players following Pakistan’s crushing defeat to India.
“If I were to make the decision, I would bench Babar, I would bench Shaheen, and I would also bench Shadab,” he said.
He emphasised giving the bench players a chance to prove their potential in the upcoming fixture against Namibia.
“I would play the new boys and give the youngsters a chance. For our match against Namibia, I would back them, give them confidence, and let them play,” Afridi said.
“We have been watching the same players for so long. Whenever we expect them to deliver in big matches, especially as senior players, they don’t always perform. If the seniors are not delivering, why not give the juniors sitting outside a chance?” he concluded.
It is worth noting that Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Shadab Khan underperformed in the high-voltage clash against India.
Shaheen gave 31 in his two overs, whereas Shadab Khan bowled only one over and conceded 17.
Meanwhile, Babar went through another low score against arch-rivals India, managing only five from seven before getting bowled off left-arm spinner Axar Patel’s delivery.
Eventually, Pakistan lost the game by a hefty 61-run margin, putting them in a precarious position ahead of the fixture.
The loss against Namibia could prove a final nail in the coffin for the Green Shirts, as USA are ahead of them on the points table due to their superior net run rate.
