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Ahead of the opening T20I against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha addressed the media at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Here is what he responded to the questions:
On the Challenge of International Cricket
“In international cricket, no series is easy,”
On Bangladesh’s Improvement
“Bangladesh, especially recently, have shown improvement.”
On Bangladesh’s Pace Attack
“If you look at their fast bowling, it’s quite good now. Previously, they might have had one quality pacer, but now they have three or four who are really solid. We haven’t targeted any one bowler—we’ve prepared plans for all of them.”
On Bangladesh’s Batting Strength
“Litton Das, I think, is a very good batsman. Giving him the captaincy and seeing him score runs can really lift their team morale.”
On Absence of Key Players and Team Depth
“There won’t be any pressure. Pakistan has so much talent that anyone can replace anyone at any time.”
“But yes, Shaheen, Babar, and Rizwan have been our best performers over the past 4–5 years. They've won us matches and will continue to play a key role in white-ball cricket going forward.”
“We’re trying to develop a pool of 20–25 players. God forbid, if an injury occurs close to a major tournament like the World Cup, we want to have ready replacements.”
On Strategy Disclosure
“Of course, I can’t reveal our plans here. But yes, we’ve made plans for our white-ball cricket, and we want to execute them not just in the short term but over the long term as well.”
On Coaching Collaboration
“When I went to New Zealand, whatever playing XI I asked for, we discussed it together. He never said ‘this can’t happen.’ Even now, we’ll continue to make decisions as a unit.”
On Playing Style and Selection
“We’re considering everything—both the PSL performances and international track records. This squad of 16 includes players who’ve proven themselves in both areas.”
“Right now, we have just three openers. Someone like Hasan Nawaz is more suited to the middle order. Our goal is to give as many players opportunities as possible, so we’re ready with a 20–25 player pool before the World Cup.”
On the Challenge of International Cricket
“In international cricket, no series is easy,”
On Bangladesh’s Improvement
“Bangladesh, especially recently, have shown improvement.”
On Bangladesh’s Pace Attack
“If you look at their fast bowling, it’s quite good now. Previously, they might have had one quality pacer, but now they have three or four who are really solid. We haven’t targeted any one bowler—we’ve prepared plans for all of them.”
On Bangladesh’s Batting Strength
“Litton Das, I think, is a very good batsman. Giving him the captaincy and seeing him score runs can really lift their team morale.”
On Absence of Key Players and Team Depth
“There won’t be any pressure. Pakistan has so much talent that anyone can replace anyone at any time.”
“But yes, Shaheen, Babar, and Rizwan have been our best performers over the past 4–5 years. They've won us matches and will continue to play a key role in white-ball cricket going forward.”
“We’re trying to develop a pool of 20–25 players. God forbid, if an injury occurs close to a major tournament like the World Cup, we want to have ready replacements.”
On Strategy Disclosure
“Of course, I can’t reveal our plans here. But yes, we’ve made plans for our white-ball cricket, and we want to execute them not just in the short term but over the long term as well.”
On Coaching Collaboration
“When I went to New Zealand, whatever playing XI I asked for, we discussed it together. He never said ‘this can’t happen.’ Even now, we’ll continue to make decisions as a unit.”
On Playing Style and Selection
“We’re considering everything—both the PSL performances and international track records. This squad of 16 includes players who’ve proven themselves in both areas.”
“Right now, we have just three openers. Someone like Hasan Nawaz is more suited to the middle order. Our goal is to give as many players opportunities as possible, so we’re ready with a 20–25 player pool before the World Cup.”
