Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has suggested that senior players Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi should be rested for the fifth and final T20I against New Zealand on Wednesday in Wellington.
New Zealand sealed the series with a commanding 115-run win in the fourth T20I, taking an unassailable 3-1 lead. Opener Finn Allen set the tone with a blistering 50, while Jacob Duffy’s four-wicket haul helped dismantle Pakistan’s batting lineup.
With the series already lost, Afridi believes Pakistan should use the final match to test their bench strength. He recommended resting Shadab and Shaheen to give other players a chance to step up.
“For the final game, the players on the bench should be given a chance. With the series lost, Shadab and Shaheen can be rested, and replacements should be given an opportunity,” Afridi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Shadab has struggled since returning to the national squad after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, managing just 30 runs in three innings at an average of 10. His bowling form has also been underwhelming, with only one wicket in four matches.
Shaheen, too, has had a disappointing series, picking up just two wickets in two matches at a high average of 66.50 and an economy rate of 10.23.
Pakistan’s Record-Breaking Defeat
Pakistan suffered their heaviest defeat in T20I history, losing to New Zealand by a massive 115 runs in the fourth match at Bay Oval on Sunday.
Chasing a daunting 221, Pakistan’s batting order collapsed, managing only 105 runs before being bowled out. This loss surpasses their previous worst margin of defeat in T20Is—a 95-run loss to New Zealand in 2016, also in Wellington.
For New Zealand, this win ranks as their second-largest victory in T20Is, just behind their 118-run triumph over the West Indies in 2018, also at Bay Oval.
Basit Ali criticizes Pakistan following heavy defeat to New Zealand in fourth T20I
Basit Ali Blasts Pakistan After Heavy Loss
Former cricketer Basit Ali didn’t hold back in his criticism following Pakistan’s embarrassing defeat. He slammed the team’s selection and suggested they should only play against weaker opponents if they continue with the same squad.
“Kids are not playing against us. If you want to keep this team, do it against Nepal or Ireland. You are wasting time. Just like the domestic T20 tournament is a waste of time and money, this tour is just like that. It is better to play against Bangladesh,” Basit said.
Ali, who played 19 Tests and 30 ODIs for Pakistan from 1993 to 1996, compared the ongoing National T20 Cup to the New Zealand tour, calling both a waste of time.
Pakistan’s batters struggled against New Zealand’s pace attack, with Foulkes and Duffy using their height to extract extra bounce and swing, exposing Pakistan’s technical weaknesses once again.
