In the aftermath of Pakistan’s demoralizing defeat to England in the T20 World Cup Super 8s, the cracks in the team’s tactical foundation have begun to surface. While social media and former players have spent the hours following the match pointing fingers at Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy or Babar Azam’s strike rate, star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has directed the spotlight toward a different target: Head Coach Mike Hesson.

The defeat in Pallekele was characterized by a lack of middle-over momentum and a bowling strategy that seemed to favor “bits-and-pieces” all-rounders over specialists; a philosophy heavily championed by Hesson. During the post-match press conference, Shaheen, who returned to the side with a stellar four-wicket haul after being dropped in the previous game, was asked point-blank about this reliance on all-rounders like Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz.

“Hard question,” Shaheen remarked when asked if he agreed with the coach’s philosophy. “Look, he [Hesson] has a mindset, he is a head coach. I think he knows better than us how to run a team. And he is responsible for that. I can’t give you the answer.”

Coach’s different mindset

The “responsible for that” comment is being viewed by many as a calculated distancing from the coaching staff’s decisions. Pakistan’s inability to defend their total was exacerbated by the struggle of their all-rounders. Shadab Khan conceded 31 runs in three wicketless overs, while Mohammad Nawaz went for 26. In contrast, specialists like Shaheen provided the early breakthroughs that Hesson’s structure failed to capitalize on.

When questioned about the team’s recurring failures and whether he had something to prove after being benched, Shaheen remained focused on his own performance but highlighted the lack of execution. “Whenever I play, my job is to take wicket early. Because that’s why I’m bowling first over,” he stated. “I don’t have the need for a place. I always try… there was always room for improvement. Doesn’t matter if I am dropped, my job is to whenever I have an opportunity, I’ll go and give 100% for my team.”

Hails Harry Brook

Shaheen also credited England’s Harry Brook for a “world-class innings,” noting that Pakistan missed crucial opportunities for partnerships. “I think we missed this opportunity for partnership. Yeah, we just missed that opportunity,” he said, reflecting on the middle-order collapse that saw Pakistan fall short of a defendable 180-190 score.

As Pakistan’s World Cup hopes now rely on New Zealand losing their upcoming match, the tension between the players’ preference for specialist roles and Hesson’s “multi-skilled” blueprint suggests a locker room at a crossroads. For now, Shaheen’s words have made one thing clear: the accountability for this tactical direction rests squarely at the top.