Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign has hit a rough patch after a narrow two-wicket defeat to England in their Super Eight clash in Pallekele on February 24. Led by Salman Agha, Pakistan now have just one point from two matches. Their opening Super Eight fixture against New Zealand was washed out due to rain, and the loss to England has left their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread. They must now win their final game and rely on other results going their way to stay in contention.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir did not hold back in his criticism of the team’s core players, saying several of them have failed to justify the repeated opportunities handed to them over the past few years.
— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) February 25, 2026
“Pichle 4-5 saal se chapede hi lag rahe hain (For the last 4-5 years, we’ve been getting thrashed). Whoever comes up against us beats us, and quite comfortably. Today, for a brief moment, it felt like we could win. Otherwise, from the last tournament until now, there has been little hope. Four or five players who form the core of the team have been given enough chances over the years, but they still haven’t delivered,” Amir said on Haarna Mana Hai.
Amir also opened up about Pakistan’s shock defeat to the USA in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where the Americans clinched a dramatic Super Over victory. He claimed that some players appeared unfazed by the loss.
“I couldn’t sleep that night. I was deeply hurt. But after the USA loss, there were two or three players laughing as if nothing had happened. Our flight was just an hour after the match, and they were joking around like it didn’t matter. I won’t name them, but some players have started taking cricket for granted. Cricket is a game that rewards respect. If you take it lightly, it will kick you,” Amir added.
