Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has criticized the management of all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, attributing their underwhelming performances to mismanagement and unrealistic expectations from head coach Mike Hesson.
The Pakistan national cricket team failed to reach the semi-finals, leading to scrutiny of Hesson and captain Salman Ali Agha for issues related to team balance and player utilization after their exit from the tournament.
Mushtaq questioned the clarity of roles assigned to Shadab and Nawaz, highlighting the team management’s failure to define their responsibilities effectively.
Selection decisions and tactical deployment were identified by Mushtaq as factors that disrupted the team’s structure and weakened its bowling effectiveness.
Statistically, neither player consistently performed throughout the tournament, with Shadab making a notable contribution in one match and Nawaz struggling with the bat but managing to take wickets.
Mushtaq defended the duo by comparing their performances with other international all-rounders, emphasizing the need to consider performance expectations in context.
His remarks have fueled the ongoing debate over Pakistan’s tactical decisions, raising concerns about role clarity, selection strategy, and managing multi-skill players in high-pressure global events.
