Out of favour Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has slammed the Indian team management for mistreating Virat Kohli amid India’s struggles in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Suryakumar Yadav and co. were handed a 76-run defeat by South Africa in their first Super 8 fixture, denting their chances of making it to the semis without any hiccups. Following the defeat, Shehzad noted that Kohli, who was a master of run-chases, was booted out of the team without the respect that he deserved and that filling his hoes won’t be an easy task.
‘Once Kohli is gone…’
Speaking on GeoNews, Shehzad claimed that Kohli’s true worth has been realized only after his departure from T20Is and that no one from the current Indian setup could match his feat when it comes to run-chases. He accused Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar of not giving senior players the respect they deserved, which he believes has hampered India’s chances of making it to the T20 World Cup semi-finals. The Pakistan star’s words make very little sense, given the context, as Kohli had decided to retire from T20Is, along with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja after India won the World Cup in 2024.
“Filling Virat Kohli’s shoes won’t be easy; there are no two ways about it. We have discussed this time and time again that only once Kohli is gone will you truly realise his worth. He is the king of run-chases, which is no mean feat. Carrying that entire responsibility on his shoulders came naturally to him. Now that he is not there, it is visible that this team has no clue how to chase under pressure. They crumble, lack game awareness, and choke in big moments,” Shehzad said.
Shehzad further faulted India’s team selection in the game against South Africa and claimed that the team had made a mistake by dropping Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. However, he claimed that India were capable of pulling off a miracle and that they could still make it to the semis. India will take on Zimbabwe in their next Super 8 encounter on Thursday after which they will lock horns with West Indies – both of them must-win games if they fancy a chance of making it to the semis.
“You didn’t give the senior players the respect they deserved and they had to step aside as a result. Even Virat Kohli’s brother mentioned in his tweet that he was not treated well by the current management. He had to delete that post afterwards. India are not a bad team but the team combination is hurting them. They’ve dropped Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. India’s chances are slim, especially seeing how West Indies are playing. They need a miracle, which they are definitely capable off, to reach the semi-finals,” he added.
Cricket
No India vs Pakistan clash in T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final after England's win
