Shahid blasts selectors over Shaheen captaincy call after Bangladesh defeat

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has launched a blistering attack on the national selection committee, holding them directly responsible for the team's recent woes following a disastrous ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign and a subsequent ODI series loss to Bangladesh, according Pakistani TV channel geosuper.tv.
In a candid video statement shared on his social media account, Afridi did not hold back, questioning the selectors' judgement regarding leadership appointments and the overall strategic direction of the side.
"You saw the performances in the 2026 T20 World Cup, and after that we also lost the Bangladesh series 2-1. In my opinion, the selection committee deserves criticism. All of you in the committee have played so much cricket, yet you still don't seem to have the idea of who should be the captain for which format," Afridi said.
The 49-year-old took particular issue with what he perceives as reckless tinkering with the squad under the guise of a long-term rebuild. He argued that players with insufficient domestic experience are being unfairly thrust onto the international stage. "You keep making too many decisions in the name of 'surgery'. What you are doing is picking youngsters and players who have barely played a few first-class matches. Your domestic cricket is not even of that standard that it can consistently produce players ready to secure a place in the Pakistan team," he added.
The former all-rounder also expressed dismay at the treatment of established performers, suggesting that seasoned cricketers with proven credentials in the 50-over format have been unfairly discarded during the restructuring process.