‘Pakistan becoming an associate team’: Ahmed Shehzad slams Shaheen Afridi, management after Bangladesh loss

Former Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad launched a blistering attack on the team’s leadership after Pakistan slumped to a 2-1 ODI series defeat against Bangladesh, warning that Pakistan cricket was slipping to alarming levels.

Speaking after Pakistan’s 11-run loss in the third and final ODI in Dhaka, Shehzad criticised captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and head coach Mike Hesson, accusing the management of making excuses instead of addressing deeper issues within the team.





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“After the pathetic T20 World Cup campaign, you did not make any changes. You brought youngsters out of nowhere. Now you have lost the series and you are giving excuses of having youngsters in the playing XI,” Shehzad said on his YouTube channel. “When you don’t accept your mistakes, you will never move ahead in life.”



Pakistan were without senior batters Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman during the series, with conflicting explanations offered by the team management. While Afridi and Hesson said the pair had been rested, chief selector Aaqib Javed claimed the duo had sustained injuries during the recent ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Shehzad also questioned Pakistan’s tactical decisions, particularly Afridi’s call to bowl first in the series decider.

“When you won the toss, why did you decide to bowl? It was a good pitch. You should have batted and put runs on the board, then bowled under lights,” he said. “When your senior players behave like this, what do you expect from the youngsters?”

Bangladesh secured the series thanks to a standout performance from Tanzid Hasan, who smashed a run-a-ball 107 to guide the hosts to 290 for five at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Pakistan’s chase was led by a fighting 106 from Salman Ali Agha, but the visitors were eventually bowled out for 279, with Taskin Ahmed claiming four wickets.

The defeat follows Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup Super 8 stage — their fourth consecutive ICC event without reaching the semi-finals.

Shehzad dismissed the management’s attempts to downplay the setbacks. “You say you beat Australia and South Africa, but they never played their full-strength teams. If you wanted to fix Pakistan cricket, you would have done it by now.”

In his harshest criticism, Shehzad warned that Pakistan’s standing in international cricket was slipping dramatically.

“You are becoming an associate team,” he said. “People are now treating Pakistan like Zimbabwe. And then you say we crashed out of the World Cup due to run rate. Have some shame.”

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