The fallout from Pakistan’s humiliating 61-run defeat to India has reached a boiling point, with reports emerging that the team management is prepared to take the unprecedented step of dropping superstars Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi. The crushing loss in Colombo is being viewed as a definitive turning point, signaling what many believe is the effective end of the T20I careers for these stalwarts as Pakistan enters a do-or-die scenario in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Breaking Point for the Superstars
Public and professional patience has reached a breaking point following a series of underwhelming performances that have left the national side in a precarious position within Group A. Several former cricketers, including Shahid Afridi, have vocally demanded that Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Shadab Khan be benched for the upcoming must-win encounter against Namibia on February 18.
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The statistics from the R. Premadasa Stadium encounter highlight the depth of the crisis:
Babar Azam: The former captain struggled significantly, departing for just 5 runs. His record against India is now under intense scrutiny, as he has failed to cross the 14-run mark in his last five T20I appearances against the arch-rivals.
Shaheen Afridi: The pace spearhead endured a nightmare spell, conceding 31 runs in a mere two overs without providing the necessary early breakthroughs.
Shadab Khan: The all-rounder proved equally ineffective, leaking 17 runs in his solitary over as the Indian batters dictated the pace from start to finish.
Desperate Measures for Survival
According to reports from Geo News, the decision to bench Babar and Shaheen has already been finalized within the dressing room, even as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) maintains official silence. This radical overhaul is driven by the desperation to survive the group stage. A loss to Namibia at the Sinhalese Sports Club would almost certainly result in an early exit, potentially finishing below the United States on Net Run Rate.
“The embarrassment has left the squad reeling,” sources close to the team suggest, noting that the team’s lack of composure against India has stripped these big names of their once-undisputed status. While Shaheen showed flashes of brilliance with a 2/16 against Australia earlier this month, his total of just five wickets across his last five T20I outings has made him vulnerable to this tactical shift.
The Road Ahead
As Pakistan grapples with the internal fallout of their most high-profile loss, the focus remains on the February 18 clash. The management is reportedly prepared to take these drastic measures to ensure a spot in the Super 8 round. With the “no-handshake” policy serving as a backdrop to their on-field failures, the Men in Green are now forced to navigate a high-stakes battle for survival without the pillars that have defined their team for the last half-decade.
This transition marks a historic moment in the rivalry, as India’s fourth consecutive win stretching back through the 2025 Asia Cup has seemingly forced the end of an era for Pakistan’s most celebrated icons.