Former Pakistan cricketer Sikander Bakht has strongly criticised ex-players who comment on the national team while having close relatives in the current squad, saying such behaviour damages credibility and raises questions about biases.

Speaking during a recent TV discussion, Sikander said, “I would request and appeal to all former cricketers to seriously think about this: if any of your relatives, very close relatives, are playing, then please do not comment. When you speak, it becomes very obvious. I think you understand what I mean.”

Although Bakht did not name anyone directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to figures such as Shahid Afridi, whose son-in-law Shaheen Afridi is part of the national team, and Saqlain Mushtaq, whose son-in-law Shadab Khan also represents Pakistan.

Bakht went further and questioned the ethics of defending relatives on television and in public forums.

“My point is that you should feel ashamed of yourselves. You should not do this. If your son-in-law, your son, your nephew is playing there and you are defending him blindly, it feels very bad,” he said.

He added that such situations leave viewers uncomfortable and undermine honest discussions about cricket. 

“When I see this, I am honestly shocked. I mean, what should I even say?” he asked. 

Saqlain Mushtaq currently appears regularly on a sports panel during the Men’s T20 World Cup, where he analyses player roles and team decisions. He was also seen defending certain players in recent discussions. 

Shahid Afridi, meanwhile, continues to publicly share his views on Pakistan cricket, including Shaheen Afridi’s performance.

Bakht’s comments come at a time when Pakistan’s performance in the tournament has fallen below expectations. 

The team’s qualification hopes now depend on multiple results. England have already secured a semi-final place, while New Zealand sit on three points and Pakistan on one, with one match left for both sides.

If New Zealand lose to England, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka on February 28 to stay in contention. Should both Pakistan and New Zealand finish with three points, the final semi-final spot will be decided on net run rate.