Pakistan Cricket Team Overhauls Strategy After T20 World Cup Loss to India, Coach Denies Reactionary Changes

Colombo. Following a significant 61-run defeat against India in the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2026, the Pakistani cricket team has made major changes to its strategy. In a must-win match against Namibia, Pakistan dropped key fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi from the playing XI and moved former captain and star batter Babar Azam down the batting order.

In the match against India, Ishan Kishan scored 15 runs off Shaheen's final over, while Babar Azam managed only 5 runs. These changes were initially viewed as a 'side effect' of the loss to India. However, the team's head coach, Mickey Arthur, has dismissed these speculations.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Arthur clarified that these decisions were not a reaction to the loss but entirely part of the team's strategy.

Addressing the question of dropping Shaheen Shah Afridi, Coach Arthur stated, 'It would be wrong to say he was dropped due to poor performance. Our understanding was that Salman Mirza deserved a chance and earned it. This decision was made according to the team's needs, not a major overhaul.'

Arthur also responded to the decision to move Babar Azam from opening. He said, 'Babar himself knows his strike rate in the powerplay is less than 100. We do not need slow batting in the powerplay of T20 cricket; we need quick runs there.'

According to Arthur, Babar is an excellent player for the middle overs. If the team faces a crisis (as happened against the USA), Babar can stabilize the innings and accelerate the run rate once set. The coach mentioned that Babar was brought into the team after the Asia Cup specifically for this role.

Having navigated the group stage challenges to reach the Super 8s, Pakistan is set to face New Zealand in Colombo on Saturday. Coach Arthur stated that the team's main focus is now on scoring as many runs as possible in the powerplay. Given the crucial role spinners will play on the Colombo pitch, it is anticipated that Pakistan might make further adjustments to its playing XI and strategy.