- Joined
- Nov 25, 2023
- Runs
- 24,451
Salman Ali Agha | ICC MT20WC | Pakistan post-match press conference | 28 February '26
“If I have to sum up the whole tournament, I think we played below-average cricket.We haven’t qualified for the semi-finals in the last four ICC tournaments because we haven’t made the right decisions at crucial moments.The coach and I will take full responsibility for this performance.”
"I think when I lost the toss, it was always going to be challenging because of the dew, and then it was a very good pitch and restricting them 148 is going to be a challenge. But we tried and put it, but it was always going to be challenging restricting them 148. I think if I would have won the toss, then it could have been a different story. Yeah, it was, you can say that dew was definitely a factor. But yeah, we couldn’t execute the over plans the way we wanted to. Our spin has been brilliant, but today obviously Usman had an off day. And it can happen in T20 game, he’s been exceptional and one off day can happen. But yeah, I think dew was a factor. I think we couldn’t bat well throughout the tournament. It was only Sahibzada Farhan, he batted exceptionally well. And during that period, if anyone could have helped him a bit more, could have been a different story. But yeah, the batting was always concerned throughout the tournament. Especially middle order. The middle order has been a problem for us for like a few years now. We need to sit down and obviously definitely want to look at that department as well. Missed quite a few runs in the last two overs, you know, 14 runs in the last two overs for the loss of five wickets. Yeah, we couldn’t finish the way we wanted to finish. But in 20 overs, you will say like opposition will have two overs. And that’s what that was the case at that time. We batted really well in 18 overs and opposition allowed to have a two good overs. But yeah, if we batted those two overs well, scored 30 more, like 10-15 more runs, could be a different story. But yeah, I was always going to say with this dew, 148, or even 160 is going to be challenging."
Salman, how are you seeing the World Cup? It has just ended. And then the finishing. You are the captain. There is a lot of talk about you in this regard. How did you play in the last three overs and how did you get the last three overs done? How do you see this? Winning and losing is a part of the game, but are you happy with how you'll have performed?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
No obviously, if you see the entire tournament, we have underperformed. In the 20 over game, we played 18 overs very well, and the other team is allowed to lay two overs well. But, yes our last 3 overs execution was not good, We have done better bowling than this in the past. We are a better bowling unit. We were missing our execution today.
[Reporter:]
Salman, this is the fourth ICC event in which we haven't been able to qualify for the semi-finals. Are we lagging behind the international cricket that is currently being played? Or were the faults in selection, batting order, and team combination?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, you are absolutely right that we didn't reach the semi-finals in the last four ICC tournaments. The reason is that we have to increase our game playing under pressure. And when the pressure increases, how to improve our decision making. I think that matters more right now. Because whenever there is pressure, I think our decision making is not as good as it should be. When you come to the World Cup or ICC events, there is always pressure. If your decision making is not good under that pressure, then the result will be like this.
[Reporter:]
We are out of this tournament. Will you take the responsibility of this defeat? And will the coach take the responsibility? Because we have seen in this tournament that we have played less specialists and we have played more with all-rounders. So What do you think, where and what will you blame? Like Suhail said, this is the third or fourth tournament. If we kept going in the same situation, the nation prayed for us, and today was the chance but we lost it.
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, we will take full responsibility. Why not? Because we were involved in selecting the team and we were responsible for the players. I will take responsibility and I'm sure the coach will also take. And the same thing I told them, we have to take better decisions when we are under pressure. Because basically, you make mistakes under pressure. And in ICC events, the pressure is high because you're playing against the best teams in the world. Every game is very important because if you lose a game, it feels like you are out of the tournament. So, I think when you are under pressure, you have to make good decisions.
[Reporter:]
The playing XI that played today was comparatively better and the results were in your favour. Do you think that the previous selection of the playing XI had some mistakes and what was your role in that?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
The way we have won todays close game, we have won the previous close games much more easily than this. But we make the playing XI based at the conditions and the situation. The captain and the coach make the 11 together. We don't look at the players and the match. We look at the situation and the conditions. Today was a different match for us because we had to win in 13 overs. We had the idea that we had to get them out with a margin of 65 runs. We played according to that.
[Reporter:]
Salman, it's a pity that Pakistan's team got out. You showed an intent to come in at number 3 in the Sri Lanka series, but this tournament didn't go well for you as a batter. Do you think you'll leave captaincy from T20’s or have you been removed from the cricket board?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, you're absolutely right. I came in at number 3 and played well in in Sri Lanka and Australia series. I couldn't give the performance I should have given. I think we haven't played as well as we should have in the World Cup. Right now, I think any decision taken right now will be emotional. We will go back and take some time and then make the required decision.
[Reporter:]
Salman, the biggest debate in the T20 World Cup was about Babar Azam's playing on number 4. Some said he should play, some said he shouldn't. one week back your head coach Mike Hessan came in the press conference, he said that for the first 6 overs we have someone better than Babur Azam. And we don't need Babur after 10 overs. So, 4 overs are left. Do you think you have utilized Babar well in T20 World Cup? Secondly, Mike Hessen makes the captain and removes the captain. He has a lot of votes in the selection, he has a lot of opinions in the playing 11. He gives such statements. Do you think he is dominating more and he is portraying you as a dummy captain?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
The problem is that if I don't answer this, you will take disrespect. But sir, listen to me. When a team is formed, it is a team game. It is not formed by one person's decision. It is formed by the decision of all the stakeholders. Babar had a different role in this World Cup. He was a number 4, he had a better experience. We needed a batsman who could come in the middle order and give us stability and save us from the collapse. He had a different role. And when you come to the World Cup, you define the roles of the players, he had this role and we were looking at it from this point
[Reporter:]
Salman, talk about today's opening stand, especially the decision to play Fakhar Zaman in the opening. What went behind this and how did it go? You saw the execution, it was very good But again from 176, no loss and then what happened after that. So why don't you explain both of this?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
We had an idea, that if we’ll bat first or bat second, we will need a player like Fakhar to utilise the power play. And Saim was not it perfect form, so we thought we should use him and he did an outstanding batting. I'm saying that, that when we knew we had to win by 65 runs, we were playing with the same intent. Our partnership opening was great – at that time we could have lost wickets also - because whoever was going was trying to make as many runs as possible. This pitch I think it was difficult for new batsmen to bat.
[Reporter:]
Salman, when you got past 200, what were your thoughts about whether you'd be able to keep Sri Lanka to the score you needed to advance?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Of course when we scored 200 we always knew 148 we were going to defend and we were thinking we can do that but you got to give credit to Dashun the way he batted as well and Ratnayake as well. I think they both batted brilliantly. We did put pressure on them but they batted well as well.
[Reporter:]
Since Fakhar Zaman has been brought into the playing XI - he has played a cameo against England and has done such a good batting today. But in the first 4 matches, he did not get a place in the playing X1. So in hindsight, what do you think? Was the board decision wrong? And should Fakhar Zaman be an automatic choice in this format?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, Right now, we can say that he should have played the first four matches because he has performed well in those matches. But if you look at his form before that, it was not that good. He was struggling too. But right now, you can say that he should have played the first four matches.
[Reporter:]
Pakistan team has always made a star and it has even finished the players. In our past, Abdul Samad, Hassan Nawaz have all become a part of the past. Will you not continue Khwaja Nafay on the basis of one series, or one match because he has not performed, or will he be given a chance like Saim, who has been in the Pakistan team for 2 years? Even his performance is not up to the mark.
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Yes of course, I think Khwaja Nafay is a batsman who can serve Pakistan for a long time. He is a product that can be invested on and I think he will serve Pakistan well. As far as Hassan and Abdul Samad are concerned, I think they will be a part of the future in the upcoming T20 teams.
“If I have to sum up the whole tournament, I think we played below-average cricket.We haven’t qualified for the semi-finals in the last four ICC tournaments because we haven’t made the right decisions at crucial moments.The coach and I will take full responsibility for this performance.”
"I think when I lost the toss, it was always going to be challenging because of the dew, and then it was a very good pitch and restricting them 148 is going to be a challenge. But we tried and put it, but it was always going to be challenging restricting them 148. I think if I would have won the toss, then it could have been a different story. Yeah, it was, you can say that dew was definitely a factor. But yeah, we couldn’t execute the over plans the way we wanted to. Our spin has been brilliant, but today obviously Usman had an off day. And it can happen in T20 game, he’s been exceptional and one off day can happen. But yeah, I think dew was a factor. I think we couldn’t bat well throughout the tournament. It was only Sahibzada Farhan, he batted exceptionally well. And during that period, if anyone could have helped him a bit more, could have been a different story. But yeah, the batting was always concerned throughout the tournament. Especially middle order. The middle order has been a problem for us for like a few years now. We need to sit down and obviously definitely want to look at that department as well. Missed quite a few runs in the last two overs, you know, 14 runs in the last two overs for the loss of five wickets. Yeah, we couldn’t finish the way we wanted to finish. But in 20 overs, you will say like opposition will have two overs. And that’s what that was the case at that time. We batted really well in 18 overs and opposition allowed to have a two good overs. But yeah, if we batted those two overs well, scored 30 more, like 10-15 more runs, could be a different story. But yeah, I was always going to say with this dew, 148, or even 160 is going to be challenging."
Salman, how are you seeing the World Cup? It has just ended. And then the finishing. You are the captain. There is a lot of talk about you in this regard. How did you play in the last three overs and how did you get the last three overs done? How do you see this? Winning and losing is a part of the game, but are you happy with how you'll have performed?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
No obviously, if you see the entire tournament, we have underperformed. In the 20 over game, we played 18 overs very well, and the other team is allowed to lay two overs well. But, yes our last 3 overs execution was not good, We have done better bowling than this in the past. We are a better bowling unit. We were missing our execution today.
[Reporter:]
Salman, this is the fourth ICC event in which we haven't been able to qualify for the semi-finals. Are we lagging behind the international cricket that is currently being played? Or were the faults in selection, batting order, and team combination?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, you are absolutely right that we didn't reach the semi-finals in the last four ICC tournaments. The reason is that we have to increase our game playing under pressure. And when the pressure increases, how to improve our decision making. I think that matters more right now. Because whenever there is pressure, I think our decision making is not as good as it should be. When you come to the World Cup or ICC events, there is always pressure. If your decision making is not good under that pressure, then the result will be like this.
[Reporter:]
We are out of this tournament. Will you take the responsibility of this defeat? And will the coach take the responsibility? Because we have seen in this tournament that we have played less specialists and we have played more with all-rounders. So What do you think, where and what will you blame? Like Suhail said, this is the third or fourth tournament. If we kept going in the same situation, the nation prayed for us, and today was the chance but we lost it.
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, we will take full responsibility. Why not? Because we were involved in selecting the team and we were responsible for the players. I will take responsibility and I'm sure the coach will also take. And the same thing I told them, we have to take better decisions when we are under pressure. Because basically, you make mistakes under pressure. And in ICC events, the pressure is high because you're playing against the best teams in the world. Every game is very important because if you lose a game, it feels like you are out of the tournament. So, I think when you are under pressure, you have to make good decisions.
[Reporter:]
The playing XI that played today was comparatively better and the results were in your favour. Do you think that the previous selection of the playing XI had some mistakes and what was your role in that?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
The way we have won todays close game, we have won the previous close games much more easily than this. But we make the playing XI based at the conditions and the situation. The captain and the coach make the 11 together. We don't look at the players and the match. We look at the situation and the conditions. Today was a different match for us because we had to win in 13 overs. We had the idea that we had to get them out with a margin of 65 runs. We played according to that.
[Reporter:]
Salman, it's a pity that Pakistan's team got out. You showed an intent to come in at number 3 in the Sri Lanka series, but this tournament didn't go well for you as a batter. Do you think you'll leave captaincy from T20’s or have you been removed from the cricket board?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, you're absolutely right. I came in at number 3 and played well in in Sri Lanka and Australia series. I couldn't give the performance I should have given. I think we haven't played as well as we should have in the World Cup. Right now, I think any decision taken right now will be emotional. We will go back and take some time and then make the required decision.
[Reporter:]
Salman, the biggest debate in the T20 World Cup was about Babar Azam's playing on number 4. Some said he should play, some said he shouldn't. one week back your head coach Mike Hessan came in the press conference, he said that for the first 6 overs we have someone better than Babur Azam. And we don't need Babur after 10 overs. So, 4 overs are left. Do you think you have utilized Babar well in T20 World Cup? Secondly, Mike Hessen makes the captain and removes the captain. He has a lot of votes in the selection, he has a lot of opinions in the playing 11. He gives such statements. Do you think he is dominating more and he is portraying you as a dummy captain?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
The problem is that if I don't answer this, you will take disrespect. But sir, listen to me. When a team is formed, it is a team game. It is not formed by one person's decision. It is formed by the decision of all the stakeholders. Babar had a different role in this World Cup. He was a number 4, he had a better experience. We needed a batsman who could come in the middle order and give us stability and save us from the collapse. He had a different role. And when you come to the World Cup, you define the roles of the players, he had this role and we were looking at it from this point
[Reporter:]
Salman, talk about today's opening stand, especially the decision to play Fakhar Zaman in the opening. What went behind this and how did it go? You saw the execution, it was very good But again from 176, no loss and then what happened after that. So why don't you explain both of this?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
We had an idea, that if we’ll bat first or bat second, we will need a player like Fakhar to utilise the power play. And Saim was not it perfect form, so we thought we should use him and he did an outstanding batting. I'm saying that, that when we knew we had to win by 65 runs, we were playing with the same intent. Our partnership opening was great – at that time we could have lost wickets also - because whoever was going was trying to make as many runs as possible. This pitch I think it was difficult for new batsmen to bat.
[Reporter:]
Salman, when you got past 200, what were your thoughts about whether you'd be able to keep Sri Lanka to the score you needed to advance?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Of course when we scored 200 we always knew 148 we were going to defend and we were thinking we can do that but you got to give credit to Dashun the way he batted as well and Ratnayake as well. I think they both batted brilliantly. We did put pressure on them but they batted well as well.
[Reporter:]
Since Fakhar Zaman has been brought into the playing XI - he has played a cameo against England and has done such a good batting today. But in the first 4 matches, he did not get a place in the playing X1. So in hindsight, what do you think? Was the board decision wrong? And should Fakhar Zaman be an automatic choice in this format?
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Sir, Right now, we can say that he should have played the first four matches because he has performed well in those matches. But if you look at his form before that, it was not that good. He was struggling too. But right now, you can say that he should have played the first four matches.
[Reporter:]
Pakistan team has always made a star and it has even finished the players. In our past, Abdul Samad, Hassan Nawaz have all become a part of the past. Will you not continue Khwaja Nafay on the basis of one series, or one match because he has not performed, or will he be given a chance like Saim, who has been in the Pakistan team for 2 years? Even his performance is not up to the mark.
[Salman Ali Agha:]
Yes of course, I think Khwaja Nafay is a batsman who can serve Pakistan for a long time. He is a product that can be invested on and I think he will serve Pakistan well. As far as Hassan and Abdul Samad are concerned, I think they will be a part of the future in the upcoming T20 teams.
Hope we don't see him again in t20s.
