The axe is hovering over Pakistan’s T20 setup after another early exit from the T20 World Cup 2026. A thrilling Super-8 victory over Sri Lanka on Saturday came too late to book a semi-final spot, as the margin fell short. For the third straight edition, Pakistan stumbles at this stage, igniting a firestorm of criticism and hints at drastic team revamp.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s patience has snapped. Insiders reveal he is mulling Salman Agha’s removal as T20 skipper. The careers of Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, and Agha himself hang in balance for limited-overs cricket. This comes amid widespread discontent with the World Cup performance.
Coach Mike Hesson pushes for youth infusion, advising the board to phase out seniors and rebuild for T20’s evolving landscape. The tournament exposed glaring flaws: batting collapsed routinely, except for Sahibzada Farhan. Playing XI choices baffled fans, and the batting lineup was in disarray. Star opener Fakhar Zaman was bizarrely demoted down the order in multiple games.
Given a chance to open against Sri Lanka, Fakhar unleashed 84 runs from 42 deliveries, underscoring what Pakistan missed. Bowling was equally lackluster, with Abrar and Tariq as lone bright sparks. Group stage success against Netherlands, USA, Namibia, and a runner-up finish behind India masked deeper issues. Super-8 brought reality: a washout vs New Zealand, loss to England, and a futile Sri Lanka win due to poor net run rate. New Zealand advanced alongside England, prompting PCB to plot a fresh start.