The historic Pallekele International Cricket Stadium witnessed a night of immense drama on February 24, 2026. England edged out Pakistan Defeated by two wickets in the 45th match of T20 World Cup Super Eight. Whereas harry brookThe sensational century in 51 balls took England to the semi-finals, after which there was an atmosphere of celebration in the Pakistan camp. After the close defeat in the Group 2 match, there was a heated exchange between the former captains on TV. Mohammad Hafeez and spin legend Saqlain Mushtaq It has gone viral, exposing deep rifts over the team’s tactical direction and the roles of key all-rounders.
After England’s defeat, Mohammad Hafeez gave a strong reaction to Saqlain Mushtaq, which increased the tension.
As Pakistan now heads towards an almost certain elimination, post-match analysis on a leading TV channel turned into a battlefield. The core of the argument was based on its utility Mohammad Nawaz And Shadab Khan. Hafeez, who is known for his outspoken “professor” personality, questioned whether these players were being selected on the basis of merit or vague labels. “Is he a bowling all-rounder or a batting all-rounder?Hafeez demanded, specifically targeting Shadab.
Mushtaq, who has previously coached the national team and is Shadab’s father-in-law, attempted to defend both of them and said they have similar skills in both departments. “Look, he’s one of the two“ Saqlain insisted.
However, Hafeez narrated a personal anecdote to illustrate his point: “I played for Pakistan as an all-rounder. My primary job was to bat. If I am not scoring runs then I don’t need my 8, 6 or 4 overs. My captain used to tell me that if I cannot perform well with the bat then we do not need your bowling. Nawaz’s primary job is to bowl – if he can’t do that, we don’t want him.“
Critics have seen Hafeez’s comments as a veiled satire on Shadab’s steady form. This is not the first time there has been a clash between the two; Recently, a similar controversy took place after Pakistan’s defeat to India, where Hafeez blamed the senior core, while Saqlain pointed fingers at the support staff.
Here is the video:
🚨🚨Heated debate between Hafeez and Saqlain Mushtaq🚨
-Saqlain is trying to defend his son-in-law
-Hafiz is asking why he is in the team? What is his first priority in the team?
• Shadab is the biggest parchi after Babar Azam❗pic.twitter.com/o4sm5MbhFh
– SherAli (@Sher__Ali) 24 February 2026
Shadab Khan’s disappointing bowling in T20 World Cup 2026
Shadab’s statistical decline as a frontline bowler has increased the tension between the two giants. While Shadab provided a cameo with the bat (23 runs) EnglandTheir bowling – their primary function, was ineffective at a time when breakthroughs were needed to stop Pakistan harry brook Attack.
Shadab’s journey 2026 t20 world cup Has been a rollercoaster of inconsistency. Apart from the extraordinary performance against namibiaHis ability to stop top-class batsmen has disappeared:
The numbers highlight a worrying trend: in important games against major countries such as India Whereas from England, Shadab has failed to take even a single wicket. As we prepare for the “do or die” final Super 8 match against Pakistan Sri LankaThe debate over whether the team is over-reliant on struggling all-rounders continues to divide the country’s cricket icons.
