Salman Ali Agha-led Pakistan had a dismal T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, failing to qualify for the semi-finals. However, apart from the poor performance on the field, the Pakistan squad’s players were seen having back-and-forth with former cricketers, and Shadab Khan was right at the centre of a major controversy. After the loss against India in Colombo, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf called for Shadab to be dropped from the team, and in response, the all-rounder questioned the credentials of the two, saying they had never been part of a team that beat India in the World Cup.
Two months after this row, Pakistan batter Babar Azam, who is currently leading Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026, weighed in on the constant tussle between former and current Pakistan players, saying there needs to be respect and one shouldn’t resort to personal attacks.
Babar sided with Shadab, saying he doesn’t understand why a controversy is created when a current player speaks up for himself, but not when a former Pakistan cricketer targets the same player.
“When they speak about things, it’s right, but if the current player has said something, it’s not right. Anyway, it’s a different ball game. Shadab said something in the heat of the moment. Everyone has their own way of speaking,” Babar said on Zalmi TV.
“But in the end, you are just fighting among yourselves. There should be an effort to support the Pakistan team. Yes, we didn’t do well in the T20 World Cup. We know we didn’t perform well. But yes, I accept that. But these are the times of social media, you cannot stop anyone.
Shadab brought up Pakistan’s victory over India in the 2021 T20 World Cup in conversation after a good game against Namibia. When asked about criticism from former players, Shadab hit back at both Afridi and Yousuf. However, this was not the end of the matter as the two former players then lambasted Shadab for making such comments.
‘No comparison’
Babar, however, said that he understands the kind of experience players like Afridi and Yousuf have, and there should be no comparison between the former and current players. However, he urged everyone involved not to make personal attacks.
“There is no comparison. If you talk about the 90s cricketers, they are very experienced. They have played more cricket. If they think we are making mistakes, then we must be. But sometimes, there are personal attacks. When that happens, a player thinks about answering back,” said Babar.
“You can say anything you want to when it comes to cricket. But players also have self-respect. When you don’t respect them, you also will get the same,” he added.
Speaking of Babar, he is currently the highest run-scorer in the PSL 2026 edition with 588 runs to his name in 10 matches, with an average of 84 and a strike rate of 146.27.
Babar’s Peshawar Zalmi will take on Hyderabad Kingsmen in the PSL 2026 final on Sunday, May 3.