Players' Wives Influenced Pakistan Team Selections! Star Batter Makes Startling Claim

Pakistan cricket team in the 2015 WC quarter-final vs AUS (PC -AFP.com)There's turmoil going around in Pakistan after an embarrassing exit from the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026. The players who featured in the tournament are getting heavily critiqued by the fans, former cricketers and pundits from across the globe and from Pakistan as well. Adding fuel to the matter, Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad, who was in the limelight throughout the T20 World Cup, has again come into focus. The 34-year-old has been vocal about his thoughts about the current Pakistan side, the team management and the board, as he hasn't been mincing his words even a bit. While talking to the popular host, Tabish Hashmi, on a local TV show, Ahmed Shehzad has made controversial claims about the past times in Pakistan cricket. Players' wives picked Pakistan teams: Ahmed ShehzadThe cricketer-turned-pundit revealed that there was a time in Pakistan cricket when the wives of players influenced the team selection. He went on to divulge that players were selected based on their communication skills and the etiquette they showed towards the wives of certain players. However, he didn't name the players, or whether they were captains or senior members. "There was a time in Pakistan cricket when players wives influenced team selection. They would say pick this player because he's a good boy, pick that one because he speaks nicely, or because he greets properly at breakfast. We have seen such things in cricket," Ahmed Shehzad stated while talking on a talk show. Read More: All Records Broken After Bangladesh's Thumping Win Over Pakistan In 1st ODIWatch: Ahmed Shehzad makes bold claims about Pakistan cricket's past hereSalman. @TsMeSalman Ahmed Shehzad said, "There was a time in Pakistan cricket when players wives influenced team selection. They would say pick this player because he's a good boy, pick that one because he speaks nicely, or because he says Salam at breakfast. We have seen such things in cricket." Mar 12, 2026, 6:15 AM Ahmed Shehzad: From an icon to forgotten batterAhmed Shehzad last played an international cricket match back in 2019, when he played two T20I games against Sri Lanka at home on the back of a tremendous domestic performance. However, after two failures on comeback, the top-order batter was dropped, but couldn't make another re-entry despite consistent run-scoring in domestic circles. Despite being a big name, the 34-year-old fell even in the pecking order of the Pakistan Super League, last playing in the league in 2020. However, during his 10-year stint with Pakistan, Ahmed Shehzad amassed over 5000 international runs, including 10 centuries and 25 half-centuries. Apart from that, he has slammed over 21,000 domestic runs. He is also the first Pakistani batter to smash international centuries in all formats of the game. And for his surreal performances for the national team, he was once touted as Pakistan's answer to Virat Kohli, but it became the prime reason for his dip in form. The forgotten batter was ignored by all the franchises during the first-ever PSL auction. Meanwhile, he has not played a professional game during his stint in the Bangladesh Premier League in 2024. Pakistan's SOS call after T20 WC failureAfter a poor run in the 2026 T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made some tough decisions while selecting the ODI squad for the ongoing Bangladesh tour. Prolific players like Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz and Naseem Shah were dropped for the ongoing series after Pakistan's failed T20 World Cup campaign in Sri Lanka. However, bringing in fresh names over experienced names didn't fare too well in the first ODI in Mirpur, as they lost to the fellow subcontinent side by a hefty margin. Batting first, Nahid Rana sprayed his magic with a five-wicket haul as the Pakistan team was bundled out for 114 runs, before the target was chased down in 15.1 overs. Read More: Not Sanju Samson! AB de Villiers Names Deserving T20 World Cup POTM Winner