Mike Hesson Salman Agha Mohsin Naqvi. Image Credits: X
The Pakistan cricket team crashed out of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup race before the semifinals itself. Requiring to beat Sri Lanka by a huge margin in their final Super 8 match of the tournament, the ‘Men in Green’ barely escaped with a five-run win at the Pallekele Stadium on Saturday, February 28.
With Pakistan failing to reach the knockouts of yet another ICC tournament, their fourth in succession since making it to the 2022 final, a key member of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee has now tendered his resignation.
Aleem Dar quits Pakistan’s selection committee
Former Pakistan umpire and ICC Elite Aleem Dar has tendered his resignation from the Pakistan selection committee. As reported by prominent Pakistan journalist, Qadir Khawaja, Aleem Dar confirmed his decision after the ‘Men in Green’ bowed out of the semifinal race of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the Super 8 stage of the tournament itself.
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It is worth noting that Aleem Dar was named a part of the Pakistan selection committee by the PCB back in October 2024, i.e., a year after he officiated in his final international match as an ICC umpire.
Pakistan bracing for further shake-up after World Cup horror
The PCB and the Pakistan team will likely be bracing for further shake-up following the ‘Men in Green’s’ disastrous T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Despite playing all their matches in Sri Lanka and travelling the least among all participating nations between matches, the Salman Agha-led Pakistan side failed to qualify for the semifinals of the tournament.
Shortly after team’s narrow win over Sri Lanka in Pallekele that sealed their exit, captain Agha dropped a hint about potentially leaving captaincy going ahead. The star all-rounder also took full responsibility for the result, and held his head coach Mike Hesson just as responsible.
With a penchant of changing head coaches like seasons in a calendar, it remains to be seen if the PCB will continue to persist with Hesson following Pakistan’s disappointing Asia Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026 runs in UAE and Sri Lanka respectively.
India, England defeats mark lowest points; Farhan lone standout
The Pakistan team, riding on all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, narrowly escaped a spirited Netherlands scare with a thrilling last-over win in the opening match of the 2026 T20 World Cup last month. The ‘Men in Green’ also trounced Namibia and USA, but succumbed to a huge 61-run larruping at the hands of arch-rivals India on February 15 in Colombo.
Starting off the Super 8s with a no-result against New Zealand, Salman Agha and co. lost to England in Pallekele last week. In the match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan secured just a five-run win even though they were required to register a comprehensive 65-run routing to boost up their NRR.
From an otherwise lackluster campaign in the island nation, blistering opener Sahibzada Farhan emerged as the lone standout for the team for plundering 383 runs in just six innings at a prolific average of 76.60.
Pakistan will now face Bangladesh in a short three-match ODI series in Mirpur later this month.
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