Shadab Khan Gives His Final Word On Pakistan's T20I Captaincy

Shadab Khan in Pakistan colours (Source: AFP Photos)Ever since Pakistan suffered a humiliating exit from the T20 World Cup 2026, getting knocked out of the competition without even reaching the semi-finals, there have been multiple discussions about who could be their next captain in the format.More often than not, Shadab Khan’s name has come up. The Pakistan all-rounder has previously served as vice-captain in this format and has done a better job with both bat and ball than Salman Ali Agha, who is not performing for the country anyway.In between, Shadab, the 27-year-old, shared his views regarding how he sees himself becoming Pakistan’s potential T20I captain in the coming days.Shadab Khan 'Not Mentally Prepared' For Pakistan's T20I Captaincyin an interview with RAR Sports recently, Shadab Khan admitted he would need much more time to be mentally prepared for taking over as Pakistan’s T20I captain.More significantly, he said Salman Agha, who was embarrassed by the PCB not too long ago, has done well as Pakistan’s T20I captain, which surprised many.“I am not mentally prepared for T20 captaincy. Salman Ali Agha is performing well as T20 captain and should be given more time," Shadab told RAR Sports.Also Read: Shadab Khan Becomes 1st Pakistan Player To Be Signed By Abhishek Bachchan Owned LeagueFurthermore, Shadab highlighted the fact that too much chopping and changing won’t help the PCB get immediate results.Changing captains every day will not improve things; continuity is essential. No one from the board has contacted me yet regarding the T20 captaincy," he added.Shadab In Leadership Duties: A Quick LookShadab Khan was Pakistan’s vice-captain in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in which Pakistan defeated India by 10 wickets. They reached the semi-final there, only to be knocked out by Australia.Shadab was not only in T20Is but also Pakistan’s vice-captain in ODIs in the past.In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Shadab has captained Islamabad United for a while now. In 2024, he led them to win the title, taking their winning tally to three.Courtesy of his all-round heroics, Shadab has often been picked by popular T20 league teams. Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hobart Hurricanes, Trinbago Knight Riders, and Sydney Thunder are some of the teams he has played for in the past.As Pakistan's T20I captain, Shadab last led his country in 2023. Overall, he has won twice and lost four matches.Why Should Pakistan Remove Salman Ali Agha Immediately From T20 Captaincy?With the bat, Salman averages 22.9 in T20Is, that too at a strike rate of 123.11. These numbers are well below average, giving the idea of why exactly he needs to be removed from Pakistan’s No. 3 position as well.Looking at Salman Ali Agha’s last seven T20 innings, his scores read 5, 12, 1, 4, 38, 5 and 0. These stats aren't encouraging for a top-order batter, and things can only get worse if he is captain as well.Also Read: All Records Made By Shafali Verma With 1st Hundred In Women's Asian Games 2026 Semifinal