Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed has defended the state of Pakistan cricket following the team’s disappointing exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, stating that the situation is serious but not catastrophic for the country’s cricketing future.Pakistan failed to reach the semifinals of the tournament despite winning their final Super Eight match, eventually being eliminated due to an inferior net run rate compared to other teams in the group.
Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign
Pakistan’s campaign had several ups and downs throughout the tournament. Early defeats in the competition put them under pressure, including a heavy 61-run loss to arch-rivals India, which significantly damaged their net run rate and complicated their qualification chances.By the time the Super Eight stage began, Pakistan needed convincing victories to stay in contention. In their final match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan managed to secure a narrow win but failed to achieve the large margin required to overtake New Zealand on net run rate. As a result, England and New Zealand progressed to the semifinals from the group, while Pakistan were eliminated despite their late victory.
Aaqib Javed’s response after elimination
Speaking during a press conference after Pakistan’s exit, Aaqib Javed acknowledged that the team’s failure to reach the semifinals is a concern but insisted it should not be seen as a complete collapse of Pakistan cricket.‘It’s a big issue, but not so big that our cricket is destroyed, Pakistan got eliminated due to net run rate, the team was capable enough to play the semifinal of the T20 World Cup.” Aaqib said.Responsibility and future outlookBefore the start of the tournament, Aaqib had stated that he would take responsibility if Pakistan failed to perform well in the event. After the early exit, he reiterated that the team management and selectors will review the campaign and learn from the mistakes.
