Shadab Khan hits back at Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi: 'We have beaten India once in World Cups, unlike our ex-cricketers'

Colombo, February 19 — Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has launched a stinging counter-attack on two of the country’s most decorated former captains, Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi, reminding them that the current generation has achieved something they never managed — a World Cup victory over India.

The riposte came minutes after Pakistan’s 102-run demolition of Namibia at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, a result that kept their T20 World Cup hopes alive and allowed Shadab to showcase his own redemption story. Coming in at No. 6, the 26-year-old blazed an unbeaten 36 off 22 balls and followed it with 3 for 19 in four overs, scarcely resembling the player who leaked 17 runs in a single over against India last week.

Yet it was off the field where Shadab chose to make his loudest statement. Asked about the barrage of criticism from Yousuf and Afridi — both of whom have called for senior players to be benched — the vice-captain fired a calculated broadside.

“Our ex-cricketers have their own opinions. They have done well for Pakistan, and at the end of the day, they have also never defeated India in the World Cup,” Shadab said, eyes fixed on the gathered media. “We were the ones who defeated India in the 2021 World Cup. In World Cups, we have beaten India only once. Yes, they are legends, but they have never done anything remarkable against India in the World Cup.”

The remark was a direct reference to Pakistan’s 10-wicket triumph in Dubai three years ago — the sole occasion in 50-plus years of global tournaments that the green shirts have toppled their neighbours.

Yousuf, who served a brief, turbulent stint as Pakistan batting coach between March and June 2025, had used social-media platform X to declare that “time’s up for Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab” and labelled the present era “the darkest period in our cricketing history.” Afridi, speaking on Samaa TV, went further, insisting he would “drop Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab” for the final group game and accusing the side of “losing without a fight.”

Shadab shrugged off the personal nature of the attacks. “Criticism is something we can’t control. Every individual has his own opinion; they are free to have it,” he said. “I feel that since I have made a comeback, I bowled one bad over, and because of that there is so much criticism. I don’t try to justify it. I can’t control these things. It was a bad day and a bad over. It’s T20 cricket; you can go for runs and take wickets as well.”

The all-rounder also praised India’s Ishan Kishan, whose 77 off 40 balls set up the defeat that triggered the latest wave of Pakistani soul-searching. “In a high-pressure match, it is all about how you get the start. India started well. They have a player, Ishan Kishan, who was in good form, and he played an excellent innings,” Shadab conceded.

Pakistan now turn their attention to the Super Eight stage, where they will meet New Zealand at the R Premadasa Stadium on February 21 before facing England on February 24 and Sri Lanka on February 28 in Kandy. Salman Ali Agha leads the side in the tournament, and Shadab insists the dressing-room mood remains upbeat.

“We are talking too much about one match. Yes, the obvious goal was to win that match against India as well. At the end of the day, our main aim is to win the World Cup. We are trusting our process, and we will get the results,” he said.

For now, Shadab has done his talking with both bat and ball — and with a reminder to Pakistan’s past greats that history belongs to those who write it, not merely those who once played it.