(AP Photo)
Former international cricketer Mohammad Asif has made a bold prediction about the Pakistan Cricket Team’s prospects for the next T20 World Cup, and it spells trouble for the 2009 champions.
Pakistan has been under scrutiny recently due to a series of issues, including frequent changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board and internal player conflicts. The current state of Pakistani cricket appears to fall short of the high standards fans are accustomed to.
Asif appeared as a guest on the YouTube podcast ‘The Nakash Khan Show’, where he made a significant prediction that may not thrill Pakistani fans.
He forecasted that the USA cricket team will defeat Pakistan in the next T20 World Cup, echoing their success from the 2024 edition.
“We lost to the USA, who are playing in the T20 World Cup for the first time. They didn’t even qualify, they played because they were the hosts. The way the situation is going at this moment, the USA will beat Pakistan in the next World Cup, in 2026. I’ll guarantee you that,” Asif predicted.
The USA made their T20 World Cup debut in 2024 as co-hosts with the West Indies, and they enjoyed a remarkable run to reach the Super Eight stages.
In their second match of the tournament, held at Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas, the USA pulled off a major upset by defeating Pakistan by 5 runs in a Super Over. Despite their status as underdogs, the American team capitalized on a lackluster performance from Pakistan, whose loss to the USA ultimately led to their elimination from the tournament at the group stage.
Asif, reflecting on the current state of Pakistan cricket, feels that the team needs to implement changes at the highest levels. However, he observes that the side continues to repeat the same mistakes, which strengthens his bold prediction about their future performance.
“Before the 2026 World Cup, we have to change the captain, coach and the players. There needs to be planning for the two years that this is the team, this is the 20 players we want to work with. But we are repeating the same things, which is why I am telling you this,” Asif highlighted.
“When the likes of India, and South Africa are moving forward in the next two years, we are still in the same spot,” he added.
Pakistan cricket endured another disappointing loss, this time against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, which once again draws attention to the team’s struggles. The key question now is whether the PCB will take bold steps to rejuvenate the nation’s enthusiasm for the sport.
