Shaheen Afridi Bears Brunt of Backlash After Costly Spell in Colombo
Shaheen Afridi’s outing in the T20 World Cup Group A meeting with India on February 15, 2026 (ET) at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo sparked sharp criticism and widespread online reaction after the pacer produced an expensive and uneven spell in a crucial match.
Tough night in Colombo: numbers and context
Tasked with setting the tone with pace, Shaheen afridi finished with figures of 2-0-31-1 in a match where spin largely dominated conditions. He conceded 15 runs in his opening over, which immediately knocked the wind out of Pakistan’s early momentum following a first-over wicket.
Throughout his spell he struggled for consistent line and length. A short-of-length ball went for six early on, while a back-of-the-length cutter at around 140 kph was met with a sound defensive stroke. Other variations — a fuller delivery that swung away and an outswinger intended to induce an edge — failed to trouble the batsmen, with several deliveries slipping past fielders for boundaries.
He returned to bowl the final over and again found containment difficult. A slower ball was punished for four and an attempted yorker was poorly executed, yielding a six. A wide, slower delivery was also driven for four. Shaheen did pick up the wicket of Axar Patel late in the innings, but the damage in key phases had already been done.
Public backlash and the social media storm
The performance triggered fierce criticism online. Some went beyond constructive analysis to lampoon the bowler, with nicknames and jibes circulating rapidly. Commentators and fans labelled him as an “India’s 12th man” and even used harsher epithets, suggesting loss of form and questioning his temperament under pressure.
Criticism focused on control and execution: the inability to maintain a consistent channel, misplaced slower balls and a lack of rhythm that allowed Indian batsmen to seize control of crucial overs. For a match of this magnitude, every error is magnified, and the reaction reflected the high stakes and intense scrutiny that surrounds matches between the two sides.
Within the dressing room lens, the performance also raised tactical questions. Pakistan relied predominantly on seam bowling in phases where spin ultimately played a larger role, and the mismatch between conditions and execution offered fodder for debate over bowling plans and match preparation.
Veteran advice and the road ahead
In the aftermath, veteran voices called for calm and a return to basics. A former Pakistan captain emphasised a pragmatic blueprint to reverse fortunes: minimise avoidable errors across batting, bowling and fielding; set a solid foundation before unleashing aggression; and focus on discipline in execution rather than dramatic changes to style.
The message from experienced figures was clear — one off day does not define a frontline bowler’s career, but immediate corrective work on control, variation execution and situational awareness is essential. For Shaheen afridi, that means steadying length and improving yorker accuracy, while fine-tuning slower deliveries so they land in the intended channel instead of inviting big hits.
Pakistan will quickly turn their attention to the remainder of the Group A schedule. How the team management handles workload, rotation and tactical adjustments for seamers in spin-friendly conditions will be scrutinised closely. For Shaheen, the coming matches present both a test and an opportunity to silence critics by producing tighter spells and reclaiming the aggressive edge that makes him one of the most talked-about pacers in the format.
Fans and pundits will watch the next outings closely — both to see whether the bowler can recover form and to assess whether the broader strategic adjustments advised by former captains are implemented on the field.
