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Captain Salman Ali Agha's press conference after Pakistan vs India clash – Asia Cup 2025
Question: At 9.3 overs, Pakistan was at 93 runs. It looked like Pakistan would score 180 or even 200. What was the reason for the shortfall? Was it a disappointing total, as you discussed during the innings break?
Salman Agha (Captain): Sir, it wasn't a disappointing total, but yes, given the way we started, we should have probably scored 10-15 more runs in the first 10 overs. However, after the first 10 overs, when the ball gets a little old and soft, it's not easy to bat here. So, I think 170 was still a challenging total. But we didn't bowl as well as we should have in the powerplay, and that's why you can say we lost. But yes, with the start we had, we should have aimed for 180+.
Question: On what format—batting or bowling—did Pakistan rely? And today, neither motivation nor the encouragement from the Chairman worked for us. Given Pakistan's performance in bowling and fielding today, will the matches in the Super Four stage proceed similarly, and will you respond with the same strategies?
Salman Agha: Sir, whether it's bowling or batting, we look to play a perfect game. To win a match, you need to perform well in all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding. You could say our fielding wasn't up to the mark today. Our batting started well, but we couldn't finish well, and our bowling didn't start well, but we finished relatively better. The point is that we have things to work on, and we will. Our next match is the day after tomorrow, and we are looking forward to it.
Question: Between the 11th and 18th overs, Pakistan scored just 38 runs, which is the lowest for any team in the tournament after such a good start. In the end, Haris and Shaheen didn't even get a chance to bat. Did you feel that the team was a bit defensive in the middle, and could there have been more aggressive choices in terms of who bats next? You mentioned being 10-15 runs short.
Salman Agha: Look, these are the kind of wickets where it is difficult for a new batsman to come in and score quickly. The set batsman should ideally bat till the end. You saw that even their (the opposition's) new batsmen struggled to score. So, this is the nature of the pitches here; it's difficult for new players. That's why, I think, a reason for those low runs in that period was that two of our set batsmen got out at that time.
Question: When you had Mohammad Haris available, was sending Hussain Talat at that stage the right decision, given that Haris and Hussain Talat play regularly and hit fast? Also, regarding our two senior bowlers, Shaheen gave away 40 runs and Abrar 43 runs today. Don't you think the eight overs bowled by these two made a huge difference compared to the other bowlers?
Salman Agha: Sir, I believe Hussain Talat is a very good batsman against spinners. At that time, we felt that having a right-hand/left-hand combination would make it difficult for their bowlers. When you have a righty-lefty pair, it's challenging for the spinners. Regarding the bowlers, you could say it was an off-day for both of them. They have been bowling very well recently. So, if you've been bowling so well, one off-day is not a big issue. We can say it was just an off-day for them today.
Question: My question is that you performed very well in the Tri-Nation series and won it. But in this Asia Cup, the Pakistan team has lost to India for the second time. You have more matches ahead, and the people of Pakistan want the team to reach the final. How much more effort do you think is needed, as neither the batting nor the bowling seems to be clicking?
Salman Agha: Sir, the bowling has done very well in the Tri-Nation series and here as well. And you can say the batting was much better today. So, this is definitely a positive. We know we have to forget this game as soon as possible. We have another game the day after tomorrow. We will look forward to that and, God willing, try to perform better there.
Question: You just mentioned that there are issues after the 10th over. You faced this issue despite a good start. A benefit for you was that when Shivam Dube came in after the 10th over, he took out both set batsmen and gave away only 16 runs in three overs. You felt the problem then. But in bowling, Pakistan brought Faheem Ashraf in the 11th over, and he took a wicket in his first over. In hindsight, do you think he could have been brought on earlier in these conditions, especially since you had the advantage of seeing the first innings?
Salman Agha: Look, sir, our team has a set plan, and we follow it. We want to use Faheem after the 10th over because his off-cutters and his lengths are, I feel, very effective after the 10th over. That's why he was effective today, and he bowled very well. But when you lose, you can always say these things—that we should have brought a bowler earlier or later. These thoughts only come after a loss. If we had brought him earlier and he had gone for runs, you would be saying we should have brought someone else earlier. These things come up when you lose. But he bowled very well today.
Question: After Fakhar Zaman's dismissal, we saw some footage on the television where Zaman and the coach were both looking upset with the decision. As a team, do you think the decision went against you?
Salman Agha: I don't know about the decision. As far as I'm concerned, I thought it was... it's obviously the umpire's job. Umpires can make mistakes, and I have no problem with that. But it did look like it bounced before to me. But I might be wrong, I don't know. But it was something... you can say the way he was batting, if he had batted throughout the powerplay, we probably would have scored 190, you never know. But yeah, that's the umpires, and they can make mistakes. To me, it looked like it bounced before.
Question: When you became captain, there was a mindset to play modern-day cricket and the talk was of aggression, scoring 200+. But after the Pakistan vs. Bangladesh series in Pakistan, we are seeing confusion in the matches against Bangladesh, West Indies, and now—you're not sure if you should score 200 or settle at 130-140. Don't you feel the batsmen lack clarity, or was there a specific instruction from the coaching staff before that isn't there now? Do you feel there's a gap in the instructions?
Salman Agha: Sir, the series you are referring to was in Pakistan, and there, the par score itself is 200. But the cricket we have played since then—be it in Bangladesh, America, Sharjah, or here in Dubai—the conditions simply do not allow for 200. You have to respect the conditions. You can't say that even though the conditions allow for 160, we must score 200. That would seem a bit careless. So, I think the conditions haven't allowed us to score 200. If we get a good pitch, you will see us batting like we did in Bangladesh. So, I think the conditions make a big difference.
Question: At 9.3 overs, Pakistan was at 93 runs. It looked like Pakistan would score 180 or even 200. What was the reason for the shortfall? Was it a disappointing total, as you discussed during the innings break?
Salman Agha (Captain): Sir, it wasn't a disappointing total, but yes, given the way we started, we should have probably scored 10-15 more runs in the first 10 overs. However, after the first 10 overs, when the ball gets a little old and soft, it's not easy to bat here. So, I think 170 was still a challenging total. But we didn't bowl as well as we should have in the powerplay, and that's why you can say we lost. But yes, with the start we had, we should have aimed for 180+.
Question: On what format—batting or bowling—did Pakistan rely? And today, neither motivation nor the encouragement from the Chairman worked for us. Given Pakistan's performance in bowling and fielding today, will the matches in the Super Four stage proceed similarly, and will you respond with the same strategies?
Salman Agha: Sir, whether it's bowling or batting, we look to play a perfect game. To win a match, you need to perform well in all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding. You could say our fielding wasn't up to the mark today. Our batting started well, but we couldn't finish well, and our bowling didn't start well, but we finished relatively better. The point is that we have things to work on, and we will. Our next match is the day after tomorrow, and we are looking forward to it.
Question: Between the 11th and 18th overs, Pakistan scored just 38 runs, which is the lowest for any team in the tournament after such a good start. In the end, Haris and Shaheen didn't even get a chance to bat. Did you feel that the team was a bit defensive in the middle, and could there have been more aggressive choices in terms of who bats next? You mentioned being 10-15 runs short.
Salman Agha: Look, these are the kind of wickets where it is difficult for a new batsman to come in and score quickly. The set batsman should ideally bat till the end. You saw that even their (the opposition's) new batsmen struggled to score. So, this is the nature of the pitches here; it's difficult for new players. That's why, I think, a reason for those low runs in that period was that two of our set batsmen got out at that time.
Question: When you had Mohammad Haris available, was sending Hussain Talat at that stage the right decision, given that Haris and Hussain Talat play regularly and hit fast? Also, regarding our two senior bowlers, Shaheen gave away 40 runs and Abrar 43 runs today. Don't you think the eight overs bowled by these two made a huge difference compared to the other bowlers?
Salman Agha: Sir, I believe Hussain Talat is a very good batsman against spinners. At that time, we felt that having a right-hand/left-hand combination would make it difficult for their bowlers. When you have a righty-lefty pair, it's challenging for the spinners. Regarding the bowlers, you could say it was an off-day for both of them. They have been bowling very well recently. So, if you've been bowling so well, one off-day is not a big issue. We can say it was just an off-day for them today.
Question: My question is that you performed very well in the Tri-Nation series and won it. But in this Asia Cup, the Pakistan team has lost to India for the second time. You have more matches ahead, and the people of Pakistan want the team to reach the final. How much more effort do you think is needed, as neither the batting nor the bowling seems to be clicking?
Salman Agha: Sir, the bowling has done very well in the Tri-Nation series and here as well. And you can say the batting was much better today. So, this is definitely a positive. We know we have to forget this game as soon as possible. We have another game the day after tomorrow. We will look forward to that and, God willing, try to perform better there.
Question: You just mentioned that there are issues after the 10th over. You faced this issue despite a good start. A benefit for you was that when Shivam Dube came in after the 10th over, he took out both set batsmen and gave away only 16 runs in three overs. You felt the problem then. But in bowling, Pakistan brought Faheem Ashraf in the 11th over, and he took a wicket in his first over. In hindsight, do you think he could have been brought on earlier in these conditions, especially since you had the advantage of seeing the first innings?
Salman Agha: Look, sir, our team has a set plan, and we follow it. We want to use Faheem after the 10th over because his off-cutters and his lengths are, I feel, very effective after the 10th over. That's why he was effective today, and he bowled very well. But when you lose, you can always say these things—that we should have brought a bowler earlier or later. These thoughts only come after a loss. If we had brought him earlier and he had gone for runs, you would be saying we should have brought someone else earlier. These things come up when you lose. But he bowled very well today.
Question: After Fakhar Zaman's dismissal, we saw some footage on the television where Zaman and the coach were both looking upset with the decision. As a team, do you think the decision went against you?
Salman Agha: I don't know about the decision. As far as I'm concerned, I thought it was... it's obviously the umpire's job. Umpires can make mistakes, and I have no problem with that. But it did look like it bounced before to me. But I might be wrong, I don't know. But it was something... you can say the way he was batting, if he had batted throughout the powerplay, we probably would have scored 190, you never know. But yeah, that's the umpires, and they can make mistakes. To me, it looked like it bounced before.
Question: When you became captain, there was a mindset to play modern-day cricket and the talk was of aggression, scoring 200+. But after the Pakistan vs. Bangladesh series in Pakistan, we are seeing confusion in the matches against Bangladesh, West Indies, and now—you're not sure if you should score 200 or settle at 130-140. Don't you feel the batsmen lack clarity, or was there a specific instruction from the coaching staff before that isn't there now? Do you feel there's a gap in the instructions?
Salman Agha: Sir, the series you are referring to was in Pakistan, and there, the par score itself is 200. But the cricket we have played since then—be it in Bangladesh, America, Sharjah, or here in Dubai—the conditions simply do not allow for 200. You have to respect the conditions. You can't say that even though the conditions allow for 160, we must score 200. That would seem a bit careless. So, I think the conditions haven't allowed us to score 200. If we get a good pitch, you will see us batting like we did in Bangladesh. So, I think the conditions make a big difference.
