In a high-pressure Group A fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan made two notable changes to their playing XI against Namibia at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. With their Super 8 hopes hanging in the balance, the Men in Green opted to leave out pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi and mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed for this crucial encounter.
Pakistan skipper Salman Agha won the toss and chose to bat first, underlining his side’s intent to put scoreboard pressure on Namibia in what is virtually a knockout contest for the 2009 champions.
Why Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed are not playing the clash against Namibia
While announcing the changes at the toss, Agha confirmed that Salman Mirza and Khawaja Nafay were drafted into the XI, replacing Afridi and Abrar. However, the captain did not specify any injury concerns or tactical reasons behind the absence of the two frontline bowlers.
“We’ve got two changes. Salman and Nafay are playing. Shaheen and Abrar are missing out. The batting has just been a concern for us. We need to bat well. We have batted well against USA. We need to do the similar kind of performance today as well,” Agha said during the toss.
Though no concrete explanation was provided, the decision appears to be performance-driven. Both Afridi and Abrar have struggled to make a consistent impact in the ongoing tournament. Afridi, usually Pakistan’s go-to man with the new ball, has not been able to deliver early breakthroughs regularly, while Abrar’s variations have not yielded the expected results on subcontinental surfaces. Given the magnitude of this clash, the team management seemingly opted for a fresh combination in a bid to reset the momentum.
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Batting concerns force rethink
Agha’s remarks clearly indicated that Pakistan’s primary worry has been their batting inconsistency. Despite flashes of brilliance, the top and middle order have failed to stitch together commanding totals. The captain emphasized the need to replicate their improved showing against the USA, suggesting that the team’s focus has shifted toward strengthening the batting unit.
The inclusion of Nafay is likely aimed at adding depth and stability to the middle order, while Mirza’s selection could provide a different bowling dynamic. By making these changes, Pakistan appear to be seeking better balance rather than relying solely on big names.
Notably, this fixture against Namibia is nothing short of a must-win for Pakistan. A defeat could effectively knock them out of contention for a Super 8 berth, making team selection even more critical.
Playing XI of both teams
Namibia: Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), Alexander Volschenk, JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Jack Brassell
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq
