Babar Azam may be dropped from Pakistan’s playing XI for the Namibia match after a poor performance against India in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Pakistan is reportedly poised to BENCH Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi for the Namibia match in the 2026 T20 World Cup following subpar displays against India.
The Pakistan cricket team is said to be removing former captains Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi from the lineup for Wednesday’s game against Namibia in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Geo News reports that “the management of the team has become annoyed with the underwhelming performances” of the two veteran players.
Babar Azam Set To Be Dropped After Pakistan’s Loss To India
The decision follows Pakistan’s significant 61-run loss to archrivals India on Sunday (February 15). Defeats against India frequently provoke immediate responses from the Men in Green, yet Babar and Afridi’s displays have been scrutinized for a considerable period. Babar entered the crease at the fourth position and scored only five runs from seven balls, attempting a wild swing at Axar Patel and completely missing, resulting in his stumps being disturbed.
Afridi, on the other hand, allowed 31 runs in his two overs with an economy rate of 15.50, making him the costliest bowler of the evening.
Following the match, coach Mike Hesson indicated that his players require additional practice to excel under pressure, stating that they are frequently neglecting the fundamentals at this time.
“See, it’s really about whether a guy is applying pressure — will you adhere to your fundamentals or will you stray from them?” “I believe that will pose a significant challenge, as the tournament advances, we’ll face pressure once more,” he stated in the post-match press conference.
“And it’s our reaction when we’re under pressure.” All these individuals are international athletes, they’re all skilled players, but when the pressure mounts, will they rely on their decision-making or are they likely to step outside of that? “That’s an area where we need to improve,” Hesson remarked.
Should Pakistan choose to leave out Babar and Shaheen, they might opt for Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah. The game versus Namibia is essential for this risk, as a single point from a rain-affected match would ensure their advancement to the Super-Eight phase, but a defeat could lead to their exit.
