LAHORE: Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has sparked a storm of criticism, with former wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal delivering one of the harshest assessments yet.
Akmal argued that Pakistan’s outdated approach left them hopelessly behind the modern demands of the format, likening the gulf between Pakistan and the world’s top teams to “others playing on the moon while we remain stuck on Earth.”
Pakistan entered the tournament buoyed by a pre-event whitewash of Australia, but the optimism quickly evaporated. A narrow escape against the Netherlands exposed early cracks, and heavy defeats in high-pressure fixtures against India and England ultimately ended their semi-final hopes. Even a 200-plus total in their final Super 8 fixture could not salvage their net run rate, sealing an early exit.
Akmal did not mince words in his assessment. “Other teams have evolved to meet the demands of Twenty20 cricket, but neither our team nor our players meet those standards. We only beat smaller teams but lose to top teams,” he said.
He slammed the team’s reliance on “bits-and-pieces all-rounders” and questioned the continued backing of senior players whose strike rates failed to match the tempo required in modern T20 cricket. For Akmal, Pakistan’s inability to adapt has left them lagging behind in every department.
Captain Salman Ali Agha faced mounting criticism for his tactical decisions. against India, he chose to field first on a batting-friendly venue, a call that backfired as Pakistan conceded 175 before collapsing to a 61-run defeat. Former cricketer Basit Ali echoed the frustration: “How on earth did you choose to field at a venue suited to batting first? After India scored 175, our batters failed to handle the pressure of a chase.”
Agha repeated similar mistakes against England, delaying the use of mystery spinner Usman Tariq despite his early success, allowing Harry Brook to build a match-winning century. Akmal labeled it “weak captaincy,” adding that head coach Mike Hesson’s obsession with half-baked all-rounders only worsened the situation.”
