Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi advised Shadab Khan to respond to criticism with strong performances rather than statements, after the all-rounder took a jibe at former cricketers by saying, “they didn’t do what we’ve done.”
Speaking on a local news channel program, Shahid Afridi said Shadab was justified in defending his group of players achievements. However, he stressed that the team struggled to handle the respect and pressure that followed their historic win over India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.
“Shadab is absolutely right. We didn’t win against India, they won. They got respect, but they couldn’t handle the respect,” Afridi said.
He explained that failing to handle respect meant the players could not manage internal issues after 2021, individually or as a team.
Afridi also reminded Shadab that he was among the former cricketers who publicly supported him during his poor form and periods out of the team, highlighting his value as an all-rounder.
“Look, Shadab should also know that when he wasn’t able to perform well, when he was being excluded from the team, we used to sit on the TV channel and say that ‘Shadab is the backbone, Shadab’s overs are very important, he can bat as well.’ It was us who used to talk about Shadab,” Shahid Afridi said.
Although Afridi praised Shadab’s respectful behavior, he advised him to let his performances speak. “And honestly, let me tell you, Shadab is a very good boy. He meets everyone with respect. Not only me, he meets everyone,” Afridi continued.
Shahid Afridi recalled that during his own career, he faced heavy criticism and even abuse from former players, but he chose to respond through performances, particularly against strong teams.
“When we used to play cricket, ex-cricketers even cursed us. But we tolerated them and we performed. Not against a small team, we used to perform against big teams,” he said.
Addressing Shadab directly, Afridi encouraged him to deliver strong performances, including against New Zealand.
“Shadab, you also performed well against Namibia. God willing, you will also perform against New Zealand. Son, give performances. In difficult times, we used to stand with you, we used to back you, we used to pick you up,” he said.
Afridi also pointed out that Shadab entered the national team without playing domestic cricket but still received support from former players. He concluded by urging Shadab to focus on his game and silence critics through performance.
