Shadab Khan Saqlain Mushtaq and Basit Ali [Source: X]The India vs Pakistan clash at the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 15 led to a hot boiling pot of chaos for the Men in Green. After they faced a harrowing defeat against India in the match by 61 runs, experts and commentators tore into them for the loss. However, a recent remark from ex-Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has got all the limelight. Shadab Khan, who earlier hit back at critics for pointing out mistakes and scathing current Pakistan cricketers, was handed a massive jibe from Basit Ali with a ‘father-in-law’, ‘Saqlain Mushtaq’ remark during a live show on Pakistan TV channel named ARY News. Also Read: Shadab Khan Mocks Pakistan Legends With 'They Couldn't Beat India' Jibe Amid BacklashIndia Shame Pakistan As Shadab Khan Falters In the India vs Pakistan match, India racked up a total of 175 runs on the board, with Ishan Kishan smashing a blitzkrieg 40-ball 77. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav also steadied India's innings after Abhishek Sharma fell for a duck, while Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh's late blitz helped India post a competitive total at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. While Pakistan’s top order collapsed, their bowling unit, especially Shadab Khan, underperformed. In the one over he bowled, he went wicketless and conceded 17 runs. Saim Ayub emerged as the highest wicket-taker with three scalps. Nevertheless, Shadab Khan was underwhelming with the bat as well. During the steep chase, with the required run rate climbing, he managed only 14 off 15 balls before being dismissed by Tilak Varma in the 13th over. Shadab Khan’s Furious Response to Criticisms Earlier, Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi commented on Shadab Khan along with other senior players, stating that if he were given the authority to select the team, he would drop Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Shadab Khan from the playing XI. This remark did not sit well with Shadab Khan, who responded to the criticism after delivering a match-winning performance against Namibia that helped Pakistan progress to the Super 8 stage. Shadab Khan, who scored a quickfire 36 and picked up three wickets against Namibia, reminded the Pakistan veterans that they had also never managed to defeat India in a World Cup. “Our ex-cricketers have their own opinions. They have done well for Pakistan, and at the end of the day, they have also never defeated India in the World Cup,” Shadab told reporters in Colombo on Wednesday. “We were the ones who defeated India in the 2021 World Cup. In World Cups, we have beaten India only once. Yes, they are legends, but they have never done anything remarkable against India in the World Cup,” Khan added. Basit Ali Scathes Shadab Khan With ‘Father-in-Law’ Remark In a recent interaction on the Pakistan media channel ARY News, Basit Ali tore into Shadab Khan’s claims while taking a subtle jab at his father-in-law, Saqlain Mushtaq. The former Pakistan cricketer questioned Shadab Khan’s credibility in pointing fingers at Saqlain Mushtaq, who was one of the finest spinners of his era. “In my opinion, Shadab Khan should not have said such things about his father-in-law. Saqlain Mushtaq had 10 bowlers like Shadab in his pocket,” Basit Ali said on an ARY News show. Ali also criticised Shadab Khan’s performance against India on February 15. “In the 1990s and 2000s, players never entered the team with poor performance and through contacts. Against Namibia, you come out to bat at No 5, but against India, you leak 17 runs in an over and cannot even field! “Journalists should ask what your performances are. Are you a bowling or batting all-rounder? Against weaker teams, you get a batting promotion because you are the favourite of coach Mike Hesson,” added Basit Ali. In a light-hearted revelation, Basit Ali shared that he used to snatch mobile phones from Shadab Khan because he was on the phone all the time. “I am going to reveal something that no one knows. I took the Pakistan A team to England. He used to be on the phone all the time. I had to snatch both his phones,” Ali added. Shadab Khan’s Form In T20 World Cup 2026 Shadab Khan's performance in the T20 World Cup 2026 has been average, though not outstanding. He has scored 88 runs from his four outings while averaging 29.33. He maintains a decent strike rate of 144.26 with the bat, though his highest score in the tournament is 36 against Namibia. With the ball, he impressed on only two occasions, against the USA and Namibia, where he picked up two wickets and three wickets, respectively. Against the Netherlands, he conceded 26 runs without taking a wicket, and against India, he gave away 17 runs while going wicketless. Overall, from his four outings, he has taken five wickets at an economy rate of 6.77 and a strike rate of 15.00.Also Read- Babar Azam Forced Pakistan Coach To Resign, Serious Allegations Labelled
