 |
| Shoaib Akhtar communicated Pakistan's perspectives on Indian screens |
19 February 2026
Karachi (still glued to my phone – these videos are everywhere)
Yaar, what a rollercoaster this T20 World Cup has been for us. One day we're getting hammered by India (61 runs – still stings), next day we bounce back like nothing happened against Namibia. 102-run win, Super 8 secured, and suddenly the mood flips. Two videos popping up non-stop on my feed right now: Sahibzada Farhan's post-century interview after his maiden T20I ton, and Shoaib Akhtar shifting gears on the India defeat, saying "losing the match is not losing the war" and dialing back on the Indian media bashing.
Let's unpack these properly – no hype, just straight talk from what I've seen and heard.
Sahibzada Farhan's Interview After the Century 🔥
First off – massive respect to Farhan. The guy's been in and out, got a duck against India, and then bam – unbeaten 100 off 58 balls against Namibia. 11 fours, 4 sixes, anchored the innings to 199/3, and we bowled them out for 97. Player of the Match, history maker (second Pakistani after Ahmed Shehzad to ton in T20WC), and he looked calm as hell in the interview.
From what I caught in those clips (YouTube shorts, ICC reels, post-match stuff), Farhan was humble, focused. He talked about settling in on a tricky Colombo pitch, building partnerships (that 67 with Salman Agha, then 81 with Shadab), and how the team needed this big performance to qualify. No big boasts, just "we knew it was do-or-die, focused on execution." He praised the spinners (Usman Tariq's mystery stuff and Shadab's 3-fer were gold), and said the pressure from the India loss actually helped – "we came back stronger."
It's refreshing to hear a young guy like him talk team-first. No "me me me" – pure gratitude and next-game mindset. After all our rants about over-relying on big names, seeing Farhan step up like this gives hope. If he keeps this form in Super 8, we might actually have depth. Loved how he said the hundred felt special because it came when the team needed it most. Proper warrior vibe.
Shoaib Akhtar: "Losing the Match Is Not Losing the War" – And Backing Off Indian Media Talk
Then there's Rawalpindi Express himself. After the India loss, he was on fire – calling out PCB, Mohsin Naqvi ("incompetent, illiterate" vibes), blasting the team for being "social media influencers" not cricketers, saying we can't even dream of beating India anymore. Harsh, but a lot of it rang true.
Now, in these latest clips (YouTube interviews, probably ARY or something), he's changing tune a bit. "We lost a cricket match to India, but it's not losing the war." He stops hammering Indian media as much, focuses more on "cricket is cricket, move on." One title says he "stops talking about Indian media," and yeah – less of the godi media rants, more philosophical like "one match doesn't define everything."
Is this a genuine shift? Or damage control after his own backlash? Look, Shoaib bhai is Shoaib bhai – speaks from the heart one minute, U-turns the next (remember the Mohsin Naqvi flip-flop?). But credit where due: this message is needed. We can't let one loss (even a humiliating one) kill morale. We bounced back against Namibia – that's the war part. Focus on Super 8 now, not endless India debates.
Still, his earlier points stand: investment in talent, better infrastructure, stop treating players like influencers. If he's now saying "move forward," good – but PCB better listen to the core issues he raised before.
Wrapping It Up
These two videos sum up the Pakistan story right now: massive individual brilliance from emerging talent like Farhan giving us hope, and the old guard (Shoaib) reminding us not to over-dramatize one defeat while still pushing for real change. We qualified, we won big – celebrate that. But don't forget the rot we talked about: marketing over talent, no proper rotation. Farhan's ton is a step in the right direction.
What do you guys think? Is Farhan the future? And is Shoaib right about "not losing the war"? Drop your takes in comments – let's keep the discussion real.
Watch the clips yourself:
- Sahibzada's interview/highlights on ICC YouTube or reels.
- Shoaib's latest on various channels (search "Shoaib Akhtar losing match not war").
Stay tuned – Super 8 starts soon. Let's hope the momentum holds.
Murtaza Moiz
@MoizMurtaza
CricSphere Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment