India, Feb. 16 -- Two snapshots of the same cricket country, separated by 17 years, don't just show change. They show regression. In 2009, Pakistan turned T20 into a weapon: brutal tempo control, a bowling attack that hunted wickets, and a batting plan built around impact rather than reputation. In 2026, the same jersey looks like it is carrying a team that is role-confused, ceiling-limited, and mentally brittle - a side that keeps hoping the game will slow down instead of forcing it to. That is not a transition. That is a slope.

Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2009 XI has a clear identity: strike early, take wickets, finish fast. The final itself is the cleanest proof. They chased 139 in 18.4 overs, with Shahid Afridi used as a high-leverage n...