Former Pakistan Stars Rip Into Team After Narrow Escape Against Netherlands
The Pakistan cricket team's opening match in the T20 World Cup 2026 has sparked intense criticism from former players, despite a three-wicket victory over the Netherlands in Colombo. The match, which saw Pakistan scrape through with just three balls to spare, has drawn sharp rebukes from ex-cricketers Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal, who expressed deep disappointment with the team's overall performance.
"Pakistan Just About Survived": Basit Ali's Scathing Assessment
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali did not mince words when analyzing the team's display. "Pakistan bach gaya bhai! (Pakistan just about survived)," he stated bluntly. "When Shaheen Shah Afridi is called in to bat, you can imagine what Pakistan batting did in that game." He specifically targeted the middle order, including experienced players like Babar Azam, Nawaz, and Shadab Khan.
"Bad batsmanship by the middle order, especially Babar Azam, Nawaz and Shadab Khan," Ali continued. "These are experienced players. They have played not just in leagues across the world, but also in the Pakistan Super League. Today, they did not become heroes for Pakistan, they ended up being zeroes."
Ali posed a critical question about the team's composition: "Who is a match changer in the Pakistan team?" He highlighted the irony of fans celebrating Babar Azam's arrival at the crease, only to see him depart quickly. "What are you going to say to a country's fans that get happy when a wicket falls just because it means that Babar Azam will come to bat. But then Babar comes and goes."
Praising Faheem Ashraf, who came in at number eight to rescue the innings, Ali sarcastically questioned the other batters: "Today's star for Pakistan was Faheem Ashraf. Baaki batsman chanafali bech rahe the kya? (Were the rest of the batters selling peanuts?)"
Kamran Akmal: "The Team Has Become a Joke"
Former wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal echoed similar sentiments, expressing frustration at Pakistan's consistent struggles against lower-ranked teams. "This match should have been won easily. Instead they won it with three balls to spare. This was not an ideal start," Akmal remarked. "Faheem ne bachali Pakistan ki izzat. (Faheem saved Pakistan's blushes)."
Akmal drew comparisons with other teams, noting: "We have already seen what Team USA can do against India. If their bowlers are fit, Pakistan will have to work hard to defeat them." He expressed bewilderment at Pakistan's frequent precarious situations against supposedly weaker opponents.
"I don't understand why Pakistan find themselves in such situations against such teams all the time. Once in a while it's fine. India were also in trouble against USA. But Pakistan get into trouble against such teams every two days," Akmal stated. "If a big team has a bad game once in five or 10 years, that's fine. Yeh toh mazaak hi ban gaya hai team ka. (The team has become a joke)."
Akmal pointed to a persistent lack of progress, saying: "It seems like we have been saying the same things for the past seven years or so. The world's teams have raised their level. Why don't we have any clarity?" He suggested issues beyond coaching: "I'm sure the gameplan has been conveyed by the coach, but the players don't have the guts! Or the game awareness!"
Match Recap: A Tense Victory
The T20 World Cup 2026 opener in Colombo saw Pakistan almost stunned by the Netherlands before Faheem Ashraf's crucial intervention secured a three-wicket victory with three balls remaining. The narrow win, while keeping Pakistan's tournament hopes alive, has exposed significant concerns about batting consistency and team performance under pressure.
Both former players emphasized that while victories matter, the manner of this win raises serious questions about Pakistan's preparedness for tougher challenges ahead in the tournament. Their comments reflect broader concerns within Pakistani cricket circles about the team's ability to perform consistently against all opposition.
