Ahmed Shehzad seals and signs Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi's sacking envelope

Former T20 World Cup champion Ahmed Shehzad made shocking remarks about senior members of the Pakistan team following their exit from the T20 World Cup 2024. Ahmed Shehzad said that Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf should be dropped from the squad.

Pakistan's journey in the T20 World Cup 2024 came to an end as the Men in Green failed to advance to the Super 8 stage in the Caribbean Islands and the United States of America (USA). They suffered losses to the USA and India in their first two games, dashing their hopes of progressing further in the tournament.

The Babar Azam-led team will play their final group-stage match against Ireland in Florida on Sunday, June 16. The Men in Green will reach four points if they win their next match in the T20 World Cup. The Monank Patel-led USA side had five points after their recent match washout against Ireland in Florida on Friday.

They Have Failed To Deliver - Ahmed Shehzad

Ahmed Shehzad stated that Babar Azam, Mohammed Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf have failed to deliver despite receiving ample opportunities over the past five years.

“For the past five years, Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammed Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf, they have played together and this lot has got enough opportunities but they have failed to deliver,” Shehzad said on ‘Haarna Mana Hai’ on Geo News.

Ahmed Shehzad criticized groupings within the team and accused players of prioritizing personal milestones over the team. The 32-year-old highlighted that the Pakistan players failed to accelerate the run rate against Canada despite favorable conditions.

“The kind of groupings that are happening in the team… there is a lack of leadership. They keep saying they’re learning from their mistakes. Aap kya seekh rahe hain? Against Canada, when you needed to up your run rate.. Rizwan scored the slowest fifty, and Babar scored run-a-ball. There were no demons on that pitch,” Shehzad added.

Babar Azam Just Social Media Generated King - Ahmed Shehzad

Shehzad emphasized that a focus on personal achievements has ruined Pakistani cricket. He suggested a lack of leadership and fitness standards among senior players like Babar Azam. He criticized Azam as a social media-generated king who has not allowed new talent to enter the team.

“The problem is that (players chasing) personal milestones have ruined Pakistan cricket. That’s why we’re in this situation right now. They haven’t learned anything.

“There is no leadership in this team. You’re (Babar Azam) just a social media-generated king. You’ve had four to five years… You guys play politics, you guys don’t have the required fitness level. You have played your peak cricket and now your cricket is declining. You have not let anyone else come into the team. Till now you have maintained friendships only.”

Pakistan's early exit from the T20 World Cup deals a significant blow, especially considering their impressive track record. They were runners-up in the 2022 edition and hold the record for the most semi-final appearances in the tournament's history, including their title victory in 2009 under Younis Khan's captaincy.

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