Ahmed Shehzad strikes back, threatens legal action against Babar Azam after Pakistan's T20 World Cup disaster

Pakistan player Ahmed Shehzad has demolished the Pakistan team, their selectors, their former players, and Babar Azam after the team’s poor show in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Ahmed Shehzad also backed a defamation case against all of them for playing with the hearts of Pakistan cricket fans. 

Pakistan showed a miserable form in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Led by Babar Azam, the team could not even reach the Super 8 round. They lost to debutant USA and rivals India in the group stage.

Since only the top two teams could grab the spots in the next round after the group stage, Pakistan failed to qualify. In the end, India and USA topped the points table and made it to Super 8 from Group A. 

Ahmed Shehzad, a Pakistan player, has criticized the Pakistan Team and the Pakistan Cricket Board ever since the team lost to the USA in their opening match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. This time, he has backed the idea of putting a defamation case against Pakistan selectors and PCB. 

Ahmed Shehzad attacks Babar Azam

Speaking on a show on Pakistan News Channel, Ahmed Shehzad said former players who Babar Azam threatened to take legal action against over heavy criticism should themselves file a case against the Pakistan captain.

"Former players that he (Babar) is talking about, they should also file a case on him asking when you had a team for 5 years, where have you brought the team, to the 7th spot. Then the 25 crore fans whose sentiments also got hurt, they should also ask what results have you produced."

He also noted that due to their poor selection, good domestic players could not get a place and their careers were affected. He also said targeted captain Babar Azam to hurt the sentiments of Pakistan fans. 

“Then they should also be asked, the domestic cricketers who you did not let come in 5 years, and you take a group and you keep saying that this group will make you win”, the 32-year-old said. 

“You should ask them that the ones who used to sit here and criticize you they are playing with you in the team. You are their captain, didn't your sentiments get hurt there? We didn't criticize you. Then the selectors, they used to sit for three months and say that you don't know captaincy, you are not a captaincy material,” the former leg spinner further said. 

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Fans should do defamation cases against them: Shehzad

Ahmad Shahzad speaks on Babar Azam and defamation case/legal notice to former cricketers 🇵🇰🤯pic.twitter.com/5nECmNYEx0

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) June 22, 2024

Ahmed Shehzad, who has played over 81 ODIs and 59 Tests for the team, also urged that Pakistan fans should file a defamation case against the players. 

“Fans should also tolerate these things instead of saying that you will get defamation cases filed on your former cricketers. We have also been criticized a lot”, he further said. 

Notably, Babar Azam was removed as skipper from all formats during the ICC ODI World Cup last year. Shaheed Afridi was named the new T20I skipper while Shan Masood was named the Test skipper. 

Still, Pakistan faced a humiliating 3-0 defeat against Australia in a Test series in December 2023 and a 4-1 loss against New Zealand in a T20I series in February 2024. 

As a result, Babar Azam was reinstalled as Pakistan skipper in white-ball formats (ODIs and T20Is) ahead of the T20 World Cup. Notably, Shaheen Afridi's removal as T20I skipper also made a lot of headlines in Pakistan cricket.