Fresh Takes from the T20 World Cup: Sahibzada's Ton Interview & Shoaib Akhtar's Latest Spin on the India Loss

Shoaib Akhtar communicated Pakistan's 
perspectives on Indian screens

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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

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Pakistan v India game - ICC World T20 2026 game

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The match against India in Colombo last night has left me sleepless again. That 61-run thrashing in the T20 World Cup at R. Premadasa Stadium—it's still replaying in my head like a bad loop, although I didn't directly watch, instead watched clips on CricInfo and CricBuzz, otherwise insisted on compiling my diary post instead, hence I thought I'd pour it all out here in my diary style, no fancy structure, no polished AI nonsense, just raw thoughts the way they come, straight from the gut.

We started decently with the ball. The pitch was slow, spin-friendly, and we squeezed them hard in the first half. Saim Ayub picked up 3-25, kept things tight with his spin, and overall, we restricted India to 175/7. On that surface, 176 felt chaseable, maybe even gettable if we batted sensibly. But then came the collapse.

Ishan Kishan smashed 77 off just 40 balls—10 fours, 3 sixes. He took the game away single-handedly. We had them under pressure, but one guy explodes and suddenly the target looks massive. Our bowlers did okay, but that one innings changed everything.

Then our chase... what a mess. 176 to win, and we crumbled to 114 all out in 18 overs. Top order failed again: Sahibzada Farhan out for a duck in the first over, Saim Ayub gone for 6, captain Salman Agha for 4, Babar Azam couldn't hold it together. Usman Khan fought with 44 off 34, Shaheen Afridi hung around for 23* at the end, but partnerships? Zero. Hardik Pandya (2-16), Bumrah (2-17), Varun Chakravarthy (2-17), Axar (2-29)—they bowled us out clinically. No fight, no momentum.

Lying awake, I kept asking: why does this keep happening? Heard a podcast the other day laying it bare—this is the same team that played against Zimbabwe, will play Nepal, faced Australia and New Zealand's second strings, and now gets thrown against full-strength India. Where is selection based on form? Nowhere. Same faces, same combinations. Fresh talent? New ideas? New pairings? Nobody cares.

Our management isn't running a cricket board anymore—it's turned into a marketing firm. Players aren't talents; they're products. Keep the sponsors happy, boost brand value, increase visibility. So the same bowlers, same batsmen keep getting picked. No room for youth, no bold changes. Heart wants to scream: Stop this circus! But who's listening? The people in PCB offices are too busy taking sponsor calls. What do they care about Pakistan cricket's future? Just sell the commodity, push the product.

Put the pieces together and the picture is clear: talent is being sacrificed, performance is being ignored, and all that's left is the shiny marketing glow. Last night's humiliation in Colombo feels like the latest symptom of the same old disease. India now leads 8-1 against us in T20 World Cups. And us? Same old post-match statements, same vague hope.

How long will this go on? Probably until we keep getting hammered in big tournaments one after another. Maybe until something explodes big time. Or maybe it never changes.

Where did it start? Probably the day selectors stopped being cricketers and became marketers and businessmen. Where has it led? To Colombo, to a 61-run defeat. And where is my heart now? Just sad, disappointed, and exhausted.

That's all for today. Tomorrow we'll see what happens next. Maybe something good turns up. Gotta keep some hope alive, right? Otherwise, what's left?

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Pakistan Cricket Betrayed by BCCI: From Allies to Dominance – PSL Self-Reliance & National Pride 2026

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Pakistan's Stand with India Back Then – And the Backstabbing We Face Now

I just watched that Global Sach video titled "How India Destroyed World Cricket" (the one Dr. Nasir Baig put out recently in early 2026), and man, it hit hard. The guy doesn't hold back on how the BCCI has turned the whole game into their personal playground. But from where I'm sitting in Karachi, the story feels even more personal. It's not just about money and power anymore – it's about betrayal of old friends.

Let's go back a bit. Remember how Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with India when it mattered most? In the 80s, after India's shock 1983 World Cup win, we helped bring the 1987 World Cup to the subcontinent. Without Pakistan's support, that tournament stays in England forever. Then there was Jagmohan Dalmiya's push for ICC president – Shaheryar Khan from our side backed him solidly, helped him win, and gave Asian cricket a real voice for the first time. That was proper unity, subcontinental brotherhood stuff.

But not everyone remembers gratitude, do they? Fast-forward, and the BCCI has completely turned against the PCB. No bilateral series since 2008 after Mumbai, Pakistani players banned from IPL for years, MOUs torn up like the 2014 one, and now they use every bit of their 38.5% ICC revenue share plus Jay Shah running the show to squeeze us out. The IPL blocks out 2.5 months every year – no international cricket allowed – while boards like West Indies scrape by on 4.5% of the pie. Smaller nations are dying, and Pakistan feels it the worst.

Here's the thing though – Pakistan doesn't need India to survive in cricket anymore. We're on our own route to self-sustainability, and it's picking up speed. The PSL might not be anywhere near the IPL in size or money (no one's pretending it is – IPL franchises go for hundreds of millions while new PSL ones sold for single-digit millions in the recent auction), but it's taking solid baby steps forward. Franchise fees have doubled revenue past Rs7 billion recently, international media rights deals are jumping (one cycle saw a 149% increase), HBL smashed records renewing title sponsorship with a 505% rise since PSL started, and overall PCB revenue streams show ICC money is now just about 35% – the rest coming from domestic ops, bilateral series, sponsors, and PSL itself. That's diversification, that's independence building.

And credit where it's due: the current PCB regime under Mohsin Naqvi is working aggressively on this. They're pushing real reforms – switching to a full player auction from the old draft for PSL 11 (starting March 26, 2026), bumping player salary purses to USD 1.6 million per team, adding two new franchises (Hyderabad and Sialkot), bringing Faisalabad back as a host city, guaranteeing minimum earnings for franchises at Rs850 million per season, and focusing on transparency, competitiveness, and player opportunities. It's not just talk; these are moves to modernize, grow the league's brand, and make it more attractive globally while keeping things fair at home. Even with challenges like stadium upgrades or broadcast negotiations, the direction feels positive – ambitious, structured, and aimed at long-term strength.

From Pakistan's side, we've taken enough hits. We supported them when they were building up; they repay us with this. Enough is enough.

It's high time PCB stops reacting emotionally and starts behaving with real grace, elegance, and above all, national pride. Build alliances with other boards who feel the same squeeze, focus on our own domestic cricket, push for fair reforms at ICC level, and never beg for scraps. Carry ourselves with dignity – that's how you earn respect back, not by matching their pettiness. But all these aspects should be merged with our national interests and pride, because at the end of the day, it is the Country which should matter first. Cricket is bigger than any boardroom fight or personal ego – it's about representing Pakistan with strength, self-respect, and a clear vision that puts the green shirt, the flag, and 240 million people ahead of everything else.

What do you reckon? Has India's rise come at the price of stabbing old allies in the back, or is this just how big money changes everything? Drop your thoughts below, let's talk. 🏏

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Cricket Blog: Dignity Over Dollars – Pakistan’s Boycott as a Statement

Cricket between Pakistan and India has always been more than sport. It is history, politics, and pride woven into every ball. When Pakistan refused to play India in the T20 World Cup, the decision was not about avoiding competition. It was about something far greater: dignity.

Pakistan-v-India, where is respect and dignity 
from Indians now?

What Is Dignity?

Dignity is the worth of a nation that cannot be measured in money. It is the ability to stand tall, even when pressured, and to say: our respect is not for sale.

• Money can buy stadiums, sponsors, and headlines.
• Dignity is priceless—it is the foundation of identity, sovereignty, and self‑respect.

Those who brag about BCCI’s billions forget this truth: money can place you in a good seat, but dignity is what makes you worthy of sitting there.

Pakistan’s Refusal: A Statement of Principle

Pakistan’s boycott was a declaration. It said: we will not be reduced to a product in someone else’s billion‑dollar show.

• It was not about fear of losing.
• It was not about cricketing weakness.
• It was about refusing to compromise respect.

This was also that India, which I saw while growing, 
I think I have been a Marty McFly went back to wrong
1985

By stepping away, Pakistan showed that it values principle over profit, sovereignty over sponsorship.

India’s Narrative Machine

India thrives on narrative‑building. Every clash with Pakistan is marketed as “the ultimate rivalry,” packaged for ratings and sponsorships. But beneath the glamour lies a lack of respect.

• Pakistan is portrayed as “isolated” whenever it resists playing.
• This framing is not neutral—it is designed to shame Pakistan into compliance.
• Instead of treating Pakistan as an equal neighbour, India treats it as a prop in its commercial theatre.

Why Pakistan’s Stance Is More Dignified

Isolation is not weakness. Sometimes, stepping away from the crowd is the strongest move a nation can make. Pakistan’s boycott is dignified because:

• It refuses to let finances dictate principles.
• It asserts sovereignty by rejecting external pressure.
• It shows that respect matters more than revenue.

Beyond Win or Loss

This is not about cricket scores. It is about sovereignty, identity, and dignity. Pakistan’s boycott sends a clear message: our pride is not for sale.

Closing Thought

India may dominate headlines with money, but Pakistan can dominate history with dignity. Defiance is not defeat—it is strength. And dignity, unlike finances, cannot be bought, sold, or televised.

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ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - the drama continues

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Oh, the charade of diplomacy and pretense continues with India throwing a wrench in Pakistan's plans to host the 2025 Champions Trophy. The ICC Board, in its magnanimous wisdom, has generously granted the PCB extra time to devise a feasible plan amidst India's stubborn refusal to set foot on Pakistani soil. The deadline for this absurd conundrum's resolution looms within the next 24-48 hours. Friday’s ICC Board meeting, a hasty affair lasting under 15 minutes, aimed to untangle the mess surrounding the eight-team tournament. PCB’s chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, journeyed to Dubai for this theatrical performance, though most attendees preferred the safety of their online cocoons. In a surreal twist, a few member boards will now join ICC leadership, PCB, and BCCI to hammer out an agreement that won't offend anyone's delicate sensibilities. Rumors suggest that clandestine discussions have been ongoing, with further negotiations scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Naqvi, ever the diplomat, has expressed willingness to entertain BCCI’s grievances about traveling to Pakistan, a sentiment he’s now compelled to act upon. Before any grand proposal can be finalized, it must navigate the labyrinthine bureaucracies of both Indian and Pakistani governments. India's government has outright barred their team from traveling, prompting the PCB to insist that any decisions must have their government's blessing. The ICC Board, a pantheon of representatives from all 12 Full Member countries, met with three fantastical options for the tournament's fate: 

Right now, situation tilted in balance for the fate of
ICC Champions Trophy

1. The hybrid model: Most matches in Pakistan, with India’s games held elsewhere. 
2. The tournament entirely outside Pakistan, though the PCB retains hosting rights. 
3. The entire event in Pakistan, sans India. 

The PCB has resolutely opposed the hybrid model, though whispers of conditional acceptance have surfaced, possibly involving a quid pro quo for future ICC events in India. Naqvi, coy as ever, hinted that government approval is paramount, maintaining the stance of acting in Pakistan’s best interest. One board director confided to ESPNcricinfo that the hybrid model might be the only viable solution. With the tournament set to commence in less than 90 days on February 19, venues in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi are poised to host the games. Yet, the hybrid option necessitates an additional venue outside Pakistan. The ICC Board had approved a match schedule in October, but India's travel prohibition remains a stubborn hurdle. India’s reluctance to travel was only made public this month when the BCCI informed the ICC, delaying the official schedule launch previously slated for November 11. The PCB has been clamoring for detailed justifications from the BCCI, insisting on a written explanation. India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, in a masterpiece of diplomatic evasion, cited "security concerns" for the decision. "Refer to the BCCI statement," the spokesperson deflected during a routine press briefing. "They mentioned security concerns, making it unlikely for the team to travel." Yet, the BCCI has remained mum, avoiding any public discourse on the matter, and deftly passing the decision-making buck to the Indian government. In this theater of the absurd, the saga of the 2025 Champions Trophy hosting rights rolls on, with Pakistan's national interests caught in the crossfire of political maneuvering and bureaucratic posturing.

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ICC Champions Trophy - nothing but an example of how wars are going to be done in future

"Discover the truth behind the Champions Trophy 2025 controversy—click here to read more!"

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I know it is a cricketing blog and I might sound like Mr. Zaid Hamid. Still, the fact is when I am joining all the missing pieces of the puzzle, things aren't adding up if we recall ourselves, India is right in their stance since they haven't uttered anything from their end, but instead, like I mentioned a term in one of my previous (blog post) pieces, Indian media is translating their government and their cricket board's stance, otherwise utter silence from their government and their cricket board.

Whereas our side of the media?

Like the image on your right-hand side, Pakistan media made a similar sort of mess up, instead of being quiet and doing the reconciliation from behind the back doors, they are to be blamed for all of the havoc and torture, we have been experiencing in past one month, without any سر and پیر of the real issue, India has been playing a distraction game just like famous character in one of the Bollywood movie "3 Idiots", there was a character named "Chatur", who used to distract students during "Chand Raat" before actual exams, whereas he used to study, this is what Pakistani media did to Pakistan's interests.

Why have we been hype oriented?

The following screenshot provides a reality check, highlighting the direction our society is heading. Instead of comparing ourselves with neighbouring countries, it’s clear that their interest levels and standards differ significantly from ours. When I compared the thought processes of Pakistani and Indian journalists, it became evident that Indian journalists are far ahead. This comparison reveals a stark difference in the media's effectiveness. What problems has our media resolved? Instead, they have muddled Pakistani interests, spreading chaos rather than clarity.

While assertiveness is commendable, using it to undermine our own people and compromise national interests is detrimental. Our media has created havoc in the minds of their audiences, leaving crucial issues unresolved and hidden. If we point fingers at India, we must also question ourselves: Who allowed them to exploit our weaknesses?

Problem solution matrix

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