as ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 This February is approaching, Hollywood actor and Pakistani American star Kumail Nanjiani shared his sober assessment of his home team’s chances. Born in Karachi and a lifelong cricket fan, Nanjiani is a Pakistani-American stand-up comedian, actor, and screenwriter known for co-writing and starring in the Oscar-nominated film. The Great Patient and for his role as Dinesh on HBO Silicon Valley. Later, he worked with major studio projects Marvel’s Eternals, Stuber, The Lovebirds.
Kumail Nanjiani highlights major hurdles for Pakistan Men in Green ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
Speaking on The Grade Cricketer podcast on 15 January, Nanjiani highlighted that the main problem facing the 2009 champions was the lack of talented enough cricketers to be picked by any international side. He claimed that Pakistan are currently struggling with consistency in all three departments, noting that even the basic building blocks of pitching and wicket keeping are areas of concern at the moment.
For Nanjiani, the wild unpredictability fans often rely on is actually a sign of a team lacking a stable, professional foundation. He expressed his frustration as a fan, stating that he still does not have a clear idea of ​​what a balanced Pakistan team looks like, leaving them vulnerable to more structured opponents. India.
“There are these guys who are just good cricketers… We (Pakistan) miss the guys who say, ‘Oh, they can go to any team at the moment’. I don’t know if we have players who can go to any team in the world, unfortunately? I think it’s fair to say that. I think what our team really needs help at the moment is our bowling, our batting and our fielding could use some work. We need a wicket-keeper. Our team and T20 in general can be a wild thing!” That’s the scary thing! You still have so much hope. We’ve been lucky in the last few World Cups and had some wild wins.” Nanjiani said.
Nanjiani reflects on why India is ahead of Pakistan in cricket
Nanjiani also reflected on the widening chasm in India-Pakistan rivalry, attributing India’s rise to a superior domestic and franchise system. praised Indian Premier League (IPL) to create a well-rounded all-round pipeline, which he feels is a luxury that Pakistan currently lacks. The actor lamented that the rivalry has shifted from a contest between two equal sides to a scenario where Pakistan is often at the point of beating.
He noted that while there was once a fraternal vibe and mutual respect among the players, the current atmosphere is more defined by political tensions and a massive disparity in cricketing resources. Nanjiani suggested that until Pakistan finds a way to define roles and develop players with global face value, they will continue to struggle against a powerhouse like India.
“It’s difficult for me because our big rivalry, India-Pakistan, Pakistan was on the receiving end of a beating. It was very, very difficult to watch because India are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the world. I think their IPL system is very, very strong. They have a lot of great all-rounders. I know the T20 World Cup is still ahead for me.” It’s very difficult for me to feel good about how our squad will look like… firstly we were the two best teams in the world, now Pakistan is not that big and India is also the best in the world because India is much stronger than Pakistan. Nanjiani concluded.
