The historic Pallekele International Cricket Stadium witnessed a night of high drama on February 24, 2026. England stepped aside Pakistan With a difference of two wickets in the 45th match T20 World Cup Super Eight. while Harry Brooke‘s sensational 51-ball century took England to the semi-finals, the results in the Pakistan camp were nothing short of festive. The former captain had a fiery televised exchange after the narrow defeat in the Group 2 clash. Muhammad Hafiz and spin legend Saqlain Mushtaq went viral, exposing deep rifts over the team’s tactical direction and the roles of key all-rounders.
Tension flares as Muhammad Hafiz gives a scathing reply to Saqlain Mushtaq after England’s defeat.
Now, with Pakistan staring at an almost certain elimination, post-match analysis on a prominent TV channel has become a battleground. The basis of the argument was based on its usefulness Muhammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan. Known for his blunt ‘Professor’ persona, Hafeez questioned whether these players were selected on merit or vague labels. “Is he an all-round bowler or an all-round batsman?” Hafiz demanded, specifically targeting Shadabi.
Mushtaq, who previously coached the national team and is Shadab’s father-in-law, tried to defend the duo by claiming that they have equal prowess in both departments. “See, he’s a bit of both” Saqlain insisted.
However, Hafiz responded with a personal anecdote to illustrate his point: “I played all round in Pakistan. My main job was to fight. If I don’t score, I don’t need 8, 6 or 4 over. My captain used to tell me that if I don’t deliver with the bat, we don’t need your bowling. Nawaz’s main job is bowling – if he can’t do that, we don’t want him.“
Critics saw Hafiz’s lyrics as a thinly veiled pocket in Shadab’s stagnant form. This isn’t the first time the two have clashed; a similar controversy followed Pakistan’s recent loss to India, where Hafiz blamed the core while Saqlain pointed fingers at the support staff.
We present the video:
🚨🚨 HOT COMPETITION BETWEEN HAFIZ AND SAQLIN MUSHTAK🚨
– Saghlain tries to defend his son-in-law
– Hafiz asks why he is in the team? What is his first priority in the team?
• Shadab Babar is the biggest Parchi after Azam ❗pic.twitter.com/o4sm5MbhFh
— SheR•ALI (@Sher__Ali) February 24, 2026
Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026: Shaheen Afridi explains why Pakistan lost to England in Super 8 clash
Shadab Khan’s bowling performance in T20 World Cup 2026
The tension between the two legends stems from Shadab’s statistical decline as a forward. Shadab provided a cameo with the bat (23 runs) against Englandhis bowling – his key work – was ineffective at a time when Pakistan needed breakthroughs to stop the crisis. Harry Brooke attack
Shadab’s journey 2026 T20 World Cup It has been a rollercoaster of inconsistency. Apart from an outstanding performance in front of him Namibiahis ability to contain high-level blows is gone:
The numbers highlight a worrying trend: in critical games against big powers India and England, Shadab failed to take a single wicket. In preparation for the do-or-die final Super 8 match against Pakistan Sri Lankathe debate over whether the team is too dependent on the all-rounder continues to divide the country’s cricketing ranks.
