Shahid Afridi believes Shadab Khan is set to become Pakistan’s next T20 captain — especially if head coach Mike Hesson continues in his role.

Pakistan remain in contention at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, but speculation has already begun over who could replace current skipper Salman Ali Agha amid the team’s underwhelming campaign.

Pakistan’s slim semi-final hopes

The Green Shirts received a lifeline after England beat New Zealand by four wickets in Colombo on Friday. Pakistan must now defeat Sri Lanka convincingly — either by 65 runs or by chasing down the target with 40 balls to spare — to surpass New Zealand’s net run rate and qualify for the semi-finals.

Ahead of the crucial clash in Pallekele, Afridi said Shadab appears the frontrunner for captaincy, citing his long association with Hesson during their time at Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.

“If Mike Hesson stays on as coach, then I think Shadab Khan will be made the captain. They have a connection and go back a long way,” Afridi said on Samaa TV. “Shadab is not a bad choice, but if his performance as a bowler was better, then it would have been great.”

Afridi added that consistency would be key. “We need Shadab to deliver regularly. If that comes, we will feel more comfortable calling him captain. I always said he was the backbone of the team. There don’t seem to be many other options.”

Past criticism and backlash

Notably, Afridi had earlier called for Shadab’s exclusion following Pakistan’s 61-run defeat to India, criticising his poor returns with both bat and ball.

Shadab later responded sharply to former players, including Afridi, after an all-round performance against Namibia. He suggested that while his team could beat India at a World Cup, some former cricketers could not claim the same — remarks that triggered widespread criticism.

Afridi is not alone in predicting a leadership change. Shoaib Malik previously indicated that discussions around Shadab’s captaincy had already begun.

“Shadab’s name has started doing the rounds as far as captaincy is concerned,” Malik said on ARY News.

So far in the Super 8 stage, Pakistan are yet to register a win, with one match abandoned due to rain and a narrow defeat to England complicating their path to the knockouts.