Currently, Pakistan find themselves staring at a daunting equation in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. The road to the semi-finals is still mathematically open, but realistically, it is filled with hurdles. The Salman Ali Agha-led side must not only defeat Sri Lanka on Saturday but also do so in a dominant fashion to keep their campaign alive.

At present, the numbers are not in Pakistan’s favour. New Zealand, who sit ahead in the group standings, have three points from three matches with a healthy net run rate of +1.390. Pakistan, on the other hand, have only one point from two games and a net run rate of -0.461. 

That means they need a big win to qualify for the semi-final. So far in the tournament, they have failed to overcome any full-member opposition. Losses to India and England derailed their campaign. The crushing defeat to India, in particular, triggered widespread criticism back home. Among the most vocal was former captain Shahid Afridi, who suggested that Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam and Shadab Khan should no longer be automatic choices in Pakistan’s T20I setup. Now, Afridi has made fresh comments regarding Shadab Khan.

"If Mike Hesson stays on as the coach, then I think Shadab Khan will be made the captain. They have a connection and go back a long way, stemming from their stint with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League. Shadab is not a bad choice, but if his performance as a bowler was better, then it would have been great," Afridi said on Samaa TV.

"We need Shadab to come up with consistent performances. If that happens, we will also feel good about calling him the captain. I always used to say he was the backbone of the team. I think Shadab will be made the captain as they don't have any other choice. Make him the captain, but he should be a performer."

Notably, Pakistan, in the ongoing T20 World Cup, have only been able to overcome USA, Namibia and the Netherlands, failing against big teams. Nonetheless, they will need to come out strongly against Sri Lanka to stay afloat in the tournament.