19 February 2026
Yaar, listen up and listen HARD – that Geo News Sports Floor episode titled "Pakistan’s Batting Line-Up Tested against strong Kiwi Attack" is a brutal, no-BS masterclass, and I’m shouting it from the rooftops: every single word from Rashid Latif, Sikandar Bakht, Mohammad Amir, Ahmed Shehzad and host Danish is spot-on fire. We need this slap in the face before tomorrow’s Super 8 opener against New Zealand. No more soft takes, no more protecting egos – our team is hanging by a thread, and if we don’t wake up fast, we will get absolutely smashed. I’m saying it assertively and without apology: this preview holds up a mirror to our weaknesses, and PCB better act on it or watch us crash out early.
They start by laying out New Zealand’s current beast mode: 3 wins from 4 in the league (only loss to SA), love chasing, batting averages 35-40, strike rates consistently 150+ that scare anyone. Openers Finn Allen (strike rates like 173, 137, 167, 177 – pure destroyer) and Rachin Ravindra (left-arm spin threat, averaging 40+), finishers like Daryl Mitchell – this batting line-up is genuinely frightening, as Rashid Latif puts it bluntly. Their pacers? Ferguson fast as lightning, Henry and Jamieson with proper swing and length, Duffy a top T20 bowler right now. Economy can be leaky (8-10+), but they take wickets upfront and at the death. We MUST exploit that weakness – no excuses.
Our batting? A complete joke at the moment, and I’m not laughing. Only Sahibzada Farhan has 220 runs; nobody else has even crossed 100. Top order looks nervous; no one consolidates when it matters. Ahmed Shehzad nails it: Babar Azam at No. 4 is a disaster right now – nervous, playing every ball the same way, zero game-changing impact. Drop him for Fakhar Zaman, he says, and I’m backing that call 100%. Let’s talk Fakhar’s record against NZ assertively: 4 T20Is vs them, 115 runs at average 28.75, strike rate 144.65 – solid numbers, with a high of 50. But dig deeper: in bilateral series he’s smashed 147 off 102 balls across 3 innings (SR 144), including a 50 in a chase. Fakhar loves swing early, turns games with big hits, and his left-hand advantage troubles NZ’s right-arm heavy attack. He’s a proven big-match player. Babar? Struggling, defensive, no momentum – bench him now, no favorites.
Shaheen Afridi? Knee pain for three years, no proper fitness test, played injured – drop him if he’s not 100%. Salman Mirza took 3 wickets last match; keep him. Mohammad Amir is right: our pacers need support, but Shaheen’s fitness is now a liability.
Shadab Khan? Panel rips him, and so do I: recent 50+4 wickets came against weak teams – no real impact in big games. Amir wants Abrar Ahmed in – mystery leg-spin that NZ struggles against (they average low vs leg-spinners). Rashid notes Shadab’s variations but poor execution lately. Shehzad: drop for Faheem or Nawaz. I’m assertive: Shadab is done – bench him, bring Abrar for control and variety.
Bowling overall: way too spin-heavy (Shadab/Abrar/Usman Tariq/Salman Mirza), only Faheem as specialist pacer with limited overs. Amir and Latif demand Naseem Shah back for swing and new-ball bite. Sikandar Bakht: spinners dominate Premadasa (batting first usually wins), but captain Agha must use seamers early.
Now let me play devil’s advocate on the toss – NZ wasn’t fortunate winning it last time? Wrong narrative. If NZ had won the toss and forced us to bat first on RPS, with their fully potent swing bowlers (Henry, Jamieson, Ferguson all fresh), how would we behave? We’d crumble badly, that’s how. Our top order is shaky against swing – Babar defensive and out of sorts, Saim Ayub raw. Apart from Sahibzada Farhan (who’s shown real grit) this tournament, averaging 73.33 with SR 140+, handles pace well), are we capable? No – we’d be 40/3 inside the powerplay, chasing shadows, game over early. That’s the harsh reality. Toss has saved us sometimes, but real teams win regardless of who bats first. We’re not there yet.
The panel’s frustrated tone is perfect: NZ’s batting frightens, our system is flawed, injured players are forced in, fixed XI despite clear failures. PCB – hear this loud: no more favorites, no more excuses.
Super 8 starts tomorrow. We need immediate changes: Fakhar in for Babar, Abrar/Naseem in the XI, better use of pace early. Prove the critics wrong with performance, not press conferences.
Watch the full panel here: https://youtu.be/XRFW2GEV988 – it’s the tough love we deserve.
You agree – drop Babar, Shadab, Shaheen? Or think we’re ready as is? Rant in comments, let’s keep it brutally honest.
Murtaza Moiz
@MoizMurtaza
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