Pakistan Veterans Who Might Announce T20I Retirement Before 2026 World Cup

Debashis Sarangi

Iftikhar Ahmed with his Pakistan teammates [Source: AFP]Iftikhar Ahmed with his Pakistan teammates [Source: AFP]

On Tuesday, Australia's veteran fast bowler Mitchell Starc shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from T20 Internationals. Starc joined several high-profile names like Heinrich Klaasen and Nicholas Pooran, who won't feature in next year's T20 World Cup. 

Talking about Pakistan, the Men in Green have adopted an all-out approach to rebuild their T20I legacy. After finishing as the runners-up in the 2022 World Cup, Pakistan failed to qualify for the knockouts in last year's World T20 edition, forcing the team management to revamp their T20 tactics. 

With Pakistan preparing a new-look team for the marquee event, several veteran players have no reason to remain active in the shortest format and may join Starc and co. on the retired T20I players' list, as mentioned below. 

Iftikhar Ahmed

Iftikhar Ahmed's T20I stats: 55 innings, 998 runs, average - 24.3, Strike Rate - 129.1

Iftikhar Ahmed's last T20I match: Pakistan vs India, June 9, 2024

Why could Iftikhar Ahmed announce T20I retirement?

Age and form

  • Iftikhar Ahmed, once an integral member of Pakistan's white-ball squads, found himself out of the setup after the team's shambolic group-stage exit from last year's T20 World Cup. He is almost 36 years old, and his power-hitting has been on a decline for quite a while now. 
  • Iftikhar also failed in the PSL 2025, managing only 98 runs at a horrendous average of 19.60 and a strike rate of 124.05. Considering Pakistan are trying to form a young and dynamic batting order, Iftikhar, who is no longer a part of the PCB's central contract, could bid adieu to the shortest format. 

No vacancy in middle order

  • Another reason that could lead to Iftikhar's T20I retirement is the lack of vacant spots in Pakistan's white-ball setup. While Agha Salman has cemented his place as a reliable middle-order batter, Hasan Nawaz has been excellent as a finisher in both formats. So, given that the presence of these two players has almost shut the door for Iftikhar's comeback, the veteran batting all-rounder might decide to hang up his boots.  

Shan Masood

Shan Masood's T20I stats: 19 innings, 395 runs, average - 30.4, Strike Rate - 121.9

Shan Masood's last T20I match: Pakistan vs England, Melbourne, November 13, 2022

Why could Shan Masood announce T20I retirement?

Bold T20I approach doesn't suit his game

  • Shan Masood is known as a good anchor in T20 cricket. He generally takes a bit of time before switching gears. 
  • However, after their disastrous performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Pakistan have introduced more firepower to their batting unit, backing swashbuckling batters like Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz. So, even if they fail, the Pakistan think tank is unlikely to bring back batters who play with a conservative approach in T20Is. 

Dynamism of Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan

  • Shan Masood is a top-order player; however, Pakistan currently have a formidable set of batters at the first three positions. While Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub have been assigned the openers' roles, the experienced Fakhar Zaman is being given a consistent run at number three. So, with the T20 World Cup coming up, Pakistan will likely ensure ample game time for these players, a move that could conclude Shan Masood's T20I career and prompt him to consider retiring from the format. 

Mohammad Ali

Mohammad Ali's T20I stats: 3 innings, 1 wicket, average - 86, SR - 42, Economy- 12.28

Mohammad Ali's last T20I match: Pakistan vs New Zealand, Wellington, March 26, 2025

Why could Mohammad Ali announce T20I retirement?

Proven failure in shortest format

  • Mohammad Ali made a wildcard entry into Pakistan's T20I setup following his exploits in the PSL. However, he couldn't replicate a similar success at the international level, managing a solitary wicket while conceding runs at an abysmal economy of 12.28 on the New Zealand tour. So, considering his lacklustre returns, Pakistan might never give him a T20I recall, which could lead to his retirement from the format soon. 

No place for gentle medium pacers in modern-day game

  • Mohammad Ali is a medium pacer who relies on assistance from the surface to thrive in T20 Internationals. However, pitches for T20Is don't have enough bite for the pacers these days. The modern-day fast bowlers concentrate on beating the batters with pace and surprising them by hitting the deck hard. 
  • As Mohammad Ali lacks these qualities, he might not meet the criteria for the T20 World Cup team selection and hang up his boots from the format.