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Salman Ali Agha in a post-match press conference speaks to the media following Pakistan's Tri-Series victory:
Question: Congratulations on winning the Tri-Series final. When the team was announced, there was this belief that the team was progressing in the right direction. Has this belief been strengthened with this win, and how much of a boost will this give for the Asia Cup?
Salman: The belief was quite strong since the home series against Bangladesh. The way we performed in the home series, after that, I felt that this is the right team, and this is the way forward. The preparation for the Tri-Series was always to tick all the boxes for the Asia Cup. I think we have done that. We reacted well under pressure, so I believe we are now ready for the Asia Cup, and hopefully, we will play well there as well.
Question: Salman, Pakistan's top order had completely collapsed, and the bowling unit made a comeback. If you go into the Asia Cup with this pattern, there are top teams there like India and Sri Lanka. How will you face them with this strategy, or will there be some change?
Salman: If you look at the entire Tri-Series, we scored 180 in the first match, then 200, then 150, then 170, and today 140. When we come to the ground, we look at what the par score for this pitch is. I think 140 was a very good total on this pitch. When I was batting, I felt that if we could score 130 or 140 on this pitch, it would be very, very challenging for them to chase it down. And I think this has been our pattern. We have been playing with the same team for the last three to four months, and we have defeated good teams with this same team in the Asia Cup. And if you can score 140, 180, or 150 against bowling like Afghanistan's in these conditions, I think they have some of the best spin bowling in the world. And if we can do this against them, we can do it against any team.
Question: Salman, you have played five matches here, and people were saying that this tournament is like the Asia Cup. The Asia Cup is now very close. Do you feel that all the boxes have been ticked, as you just said, or is there still some area where we are lagging? Because the batting performance of one or two batsmen, like Sahibzada Farhan and Harris, is still...
Salman: Sometimes, I think it's a good thing that not all the players perform before the tournament. There are some who perform in the tournament itself, and I hope and believe that those players will perform well in the Asia Cup. I have full confidence in them. I believe we have ticked all the boxes we wanted to. But as a team, you always look to improve. We will try to bat well in the middle overs there. As a team, we always think that after a win or a result, we sit down, discuss it, and try to play better in the next game. That's how we think as a team.
Question: Did you see that you had a very good combination with a proper spinner today? Do you think you will have to take similar steps in the Asia Cup?
Salman: I keep hearing a lot about this, about playing two spinners. You come to the ground, you look at the conditions, and you react accordingly. Today's conditions were suitable for two spinners, and we played with two spinners today. If we feel in the future that the conditions and pitches are for two spinners, we will definitely play with them. I think people underestimate Nawaz a lot. They see him as an all-rounder. I think when he bats, he looks like a complete batsman, and today, when he bowled, he took five wickets in three overs and sealed the match. So, I think people underestimate him a lot. If we are playing with either Sufyan or Ibrar, it doesn't mean we are not playing with two spinners. I think we are playing with two spinners. Today, we played with three spinners, I think.
Question: Sir, from a TV perspective, what do you think was the moment in the match that turned the game in Pakistan's favor?
Salman: It's difficult to pinpoint one moment, but there were two or three key points. I think the partnership between me and Nawaz was important because it was a low-scoring game. We knew that a 30-40 run partnership would be crucial. If we had lost wickets at that time, we might not have even played the full overs. And after that, when Nawaz came and took five wickets in three overs, when a spell like that happens, I don't think the other team can recover. So, you can say that was the turning point.
Question: Salman, Mohammad Haris is under scrutiny and is struggling. As a captain, what do you feel? Is the reason for his batting struggles because he's being pushed to the middle or lower order, and you don't have a better way to use him in batting?
Salman: I think what he is doing for the Pakistan team right now is incredible. He was the Player of the Series in the home series against Bangladesh batting at number three. He is now batting at number six or seven for the team, and people don't see this. People just see that he is not performing, but you don't see his sacrifice. He is a top-order batsman, but he has gone to bat at whatever number he has been sent to without any complaint. He is giving his full effort. These are the kind of characters you don't sideline just because they haven't performed well in one tournament or two series. I have full confidence in him. I think he will perform well in the Asia Cup.
Question: Salman, even Babar Azam says that Nawaz is his match-winner. And today, he delivered with both bat and ball. What do you have to say about him?
Salman: If Babar Azam says it, then it must be true. I've expected... But sir, his performance is in front of you. You can see the away series against Bangladesh, the series against West Indies, and now this Tri-Series. Whether it's batting, bowling, or fielding, I think since he has come back, he has been incredible. He gives you that margin, and it feels like you are playing with 12 players. He bats well, and he bowls well. So, I think he is indeed a match-winner.
Question: My question is that before the start of this Tri-Series, you were asked in a press conference and the question was put to you in front of Rashid Khan that Afghanistan was called the second-best team. Has your answer been proven right with this trophy win?
Salman: I think these "first team" and "second team" ratings are just people's opinions. How can you rate a team as good or bad, or first or second? I don't think much about this. You have to play well on the day. If you don't play well on the day, it doesn't matter if you are the second team or the first team. It doesn't matter. I think these are just people's opinions. Or the ICC rankings. But we don't look at this. We feel that we are the best team in the world. We have to think like that, and we try to play the game like that. So, we have nothing to do with being first or second.
Question: Asia Cup is right around the corner. Do you feel that this new talent, these new young players who have joined the team, have formed a good combination? Is the team fully ready to play the Asia Cup, and which team do you consider tough in the Asia Cup?
Salman: Sir, if you look at our recent performances, they have been quite good. We have been playing very good cricket for the last three to four months. I feel that we are now fully ready for the Asia Cup, and we will try our best to perform well there. Our team has also gained confidence after this Tri-Series. It's a good preparation we have got. And sir, when it comes to tournaments, you don't really rate any team as better or tougher than the other. I think you have to play good cricket there, no matter which team you are playing against. We focus on playing good cricket whenever we go to the ground and try to execute our plans for a long period. And I think if we do that, we can defeat any team.
Question: Hi Salman, this is from. Today, you can be playing against teams like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, UAE, Afghanistan in the recent past, or you are going to face the big boys like India and Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. How confident are you against...
Salman: We have played against West Indies as well. They are big boys. And when you play against Bangladesh at home, they are more than a big boy. So, we are playing cricket which is, I think... T20 cricket is something where you don't really say who are the big boys and who are not. Because at the end of the day, if you don't play well, it doesn't matter who you are playing against. You can be playing against India and lose the game, and you can be playing against UAE, and if you don't play good cricket, they can beat you too. And at the same time, if you play good cricket and execute your plans for a long period, you can beat any side. It doesn't matter who you are playing against. So, it's just a matter of playing good cricket, and that's what we look to do whenever we go to play.
Question: Sir, first of all, did you watch the final? How do you feel about it, and what were the key moments in today's final that worked well?
Salman: Thank you very much. I am very happy that we won the match. When we came for the Tri-Series, it was nothing more than a practice for us because the Asia Cup is our main goal. But the atmosphere was created as if this was a very big final and we had to win it. As a team, we think about winning every game, and we thought about winning this one too. But I feel this was a practice for the Asia Cup because if we win this and don't win the Asia Cup, it doesn't matter. So, that's one thing. And second, I think we assessed the conditions very well today, both when we were batting and playing with three spinners, which I think was the trump card.
Question: Salman, first of all, congratulations. You performed very well today. There should not be any criticism, but the Pakistan team must have learned a lot from this Tri-Series. If I talk about the top five players who have hit the most sixes, there are a lot of power hitters in the Pakistan team, and in T20, power hitters can change the game. But there is not a single Pakistani batsman in the top five. There are three from Afghanistan and two from UAE. What do you think, shouldn't we have been on that list with the number of power hitters we have before the Asia Cup?
Salman: Sir, I would say that we can be at the fifth or sixth position in hitting sixes in the Asia Cup too. There shouldn't be any player of ours on that list, but we should win the Asia Cup. Sir, at the end of the day, winning is what matters. It doesn't really matter who hits more sixes if you don't win. But yes, I don't have any concerns about this. You pray that we are at the bottom of the list in terms of sixes in the Asia Cup, but we win the Asia Cup. I'll take that.
Question: Last question. You played at the Dubai International Stadium, you played at the ICC Academy, and you played here as well. Can you tell us a little about how different these wickets are from each other? Can we expect that when the matches begin in Dubai, it will be a very close situation as far as the wickets are concerned?
Salman: I think all three wickets, you can say, Dubai, here, and at the ICC, the wicket is very good. But I think the conditions are different in Dubai and here. Because in the first three or four matches we played in Sharjah, the wicket was very good. I think you would have seen 170-180 being scored in every match. But today's pitch was completely different, I think. It was a 130-140 wicket. So, I think in the UAE, you can expect anything to happen. You can get a 200-run wicket, and you can also get pitches like this. So, I think it's a little difficult to predict because you have seen here that 200 runs are also scored, and sometimes it becomes difficult to chase 130-140.
Question: Congratulations on winning the Tri-Series final. When the team was announced, there was this belief that the team was progressing in the right direction. Has this belief been strengthened with this win, and how much of a boost will this give for the Asia Cup?
Salman: The belief was quite strong since the home series against Bangladesh. The way we performed in the home series, after that, I felt that this is the right team, and this is the way forward. The preparation for the Tri-Series was always to tick all the boxes for the Asia Cup. I think we have done that. We reacted well under pressure, so I believe we are now ready for the Asia Cup, and hopefully, we will play well there as well.
Question: Salman, Pakistan's top order had completely collapsed, and the bowling unit made a comeback. If you go into the Asia Cup with this pattern, there are top teams there like India and Sri Lanka. How will you face them with this strategy, or will there be some change?
Salman: If you look at the entire Tri-Series, we scored 180 in the first match, then 200, then 150, then 170, and today 140. When we come to the ground, we look at what the par score for this pitch is. I think 140 was a very good total on this pitch. When I was batting, I felt that if we could score 130 or 140 on this pitch, it would be very, very challenging for them to chase it down. And I think this has been our pattern. We have been playing with the same team for the last three to four months, and we have defeated good teams with this same team in the Asia Cup. And if you can score 140, 180, or 150 against bowling like Afghanistan's in these conditions, I think they have some of the best spin bowling in the world. And if we can do this against them, we can do it against any team.
Question: Salman, you have played five matches here, and people were saying that this tournament is like the Asia Cup. The Asia Cup is now very close. Do you feel that all the boxes have been ticked, as you just said, or is there still some area where we are lagging? Because the batting performance of one or two batsmen, like Sahibzada Farhan and Harris, is still...
Salman: Sometimes, I think it's a good thing that not all the players perform before the tournament. There are some who perform in the tournament itself, and I hope and believe that those players will perform well in the Asia Cup. I have full confidence in them. I believe we have ticked all the boxes we wanted to. But as a team, you always look to improve. We will try to bat well in the middle overs there. As a team, we always think that after a win or a result, we sit down, discuss it, and try to play better in the next game. That's how we think as a team.
Question: Did you see that you had a very good combination with a proper spinner today? Do you think you will have to take similar steps in the Asia Cup?
Salman: I keep hearing a lot about this, about playing two spinners. You come to the ground, you look at the conditions, and you react accordingly. Today's conditions were suitable for two spinners, and we played with two spinners today. If we feel in the future that the conditions and pitches are for two spinners, we will definitely play with them. I think people underestimate Nawaz a lot. They see him as an all-rounder. I think when he bats, he looks like a complete batsman, and today, when he bowled, he took five wickets in three overs and sealed the match. So, I think people underestimate him a lot. If we are playing with either Sufyan or Ibrar, it doesn't mean we are not playing with two spinners. I think we are playing with two spinners. Today, we played with three spinners, I think.
Question: Sir, from a TV perspective, what do you think was the moment in the match that turned the game in Pakistan's favor?
Salman: It's difficult to pinpoint one moment, but there were two or three key points. I think the partnership between me and Nawaz was important because it was a low-scoring game. We knew that a 30-40 run partnership would be crucial. If we had lost wickets at that time, we might not have even played the full overs. And after that, when Nawaz came and took five wickets in three overs, when a spell like that happens, I don't think the other team can recover. So, you can say that was the turning point.
Question: Salman, Mohammad Haris is under scrutiny and is struggling. As a captain, what do you feel? Is the reason for his batting struggles because he's being pushed to the middle or lower order, and you don't have a better way to use him in batting?
Salman: I think what he is doing for the Pakistan team right now is incredible. He was the Player of the Series in the home series against Bangladesh batting at number three. He is now batting at number six or seven for the team, and people don't see this. People just see that he is not performing, but you don't see his sacrifice. He is a top-order batsman, but he has gone to bat at whatever number he has been sent to without any complaint. He is giving his full effort. These are the kind of characters you don't sideline just because they haven't performed well in one tournament or two series. I have full confidence in him. I think he will perform well in the Asia Cup.
Question: Salman, even Babar Azam says that Nawaz is his match-winner. And today, he delivered with both bat and ball. What do you have to say about him?
Salman: If Babar Azam says it, then it must be true. I've expected... But sir, his performance is in front of you. You can see the away series against Bangladesh, the series against West Indies, and now this Tri-Series. Whether it's batting, bowling, or fielding, I think since he has come back, he has been incredible. He gives you that margin, and it feels like you are playing with 12 players. He bats well, and he bowls well. So, I think he is indeed a match-winner.
Question: My question is that before the start of this Tri-Series, you were asked in a press conference and the question was put to you in front of Rashid Khan that Afghanistan was called the second-best team. Has your answer been proven right with this trophy win?
Salman: I think these "first team" and "second team" ratings are just people's opinions. How can you rate a team as good or bad, or first or second? I don't think much about this. You have to play well on the day. If you don't play well on the day, it doesn't matter if you are the second team or the first team. It doesn't matter. I think these are just people's opinions. Or the ICC rankings. But we don't look at this. We feel that we are the best team in the world. We have to think like that, and we try to play the game like that. So, we have nothing to do with being first or second.
Question: Asia Cup is right around the corner. Do you feel that this new talent, these new young players who have joined the team, have formed a good combination? Is the team fully ready to play the Asia Cup, and which team do you consider tough in the Asia Cup?
Salman: Sir, if you look at our recent performances, they have been quite good. We have been playing very good cricket for the last three to four months. I feel that we are now fully ready for the Asia Cup, and we will try our best to perform well there. Our team has also gained confidence after this Tri-Series. It's a good preparation we have got. And sir, when it comes to tournaments, you don't really rate any team as better or tougher than the other. I think you have to play good cricket there, no matter which team you are playing against. We focus on playing good cricket whenever we go to the ground and try to execute our plans for a long period. And I think if we do that, we can defeat any team.
Question: Hi Salman, this is from. Today, you can be playing against teams like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, UAE, Afghanistan in the recent past, or you are going to face the big boys like India and Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. How confident are you against...
Salman: We have played against West Indies as well. They are big boys. And when you play against Bangladesh at home, they are more than a big boy. So, we are playing cricket which is, I think... T20 cricket is something where you don't really say who are the big boys and who are not. Because at the end of the day, if you don't play well, it doesn't matter who you are playing against. You can be playing against India and lose the game, and you can be playing against UAE, and if you don't play good cricket, they can beat you too. And at the same time, if you play good cricket and execute your plans for a long period, you can beat any side. It doesn't matter who you are playing against. So, it's just a matter of playing good cricket, and that's what we look to do whenever we go to play.
Question: Sir, first of all, did you watch the final? How do you feel about it, and what were the key moments in today's final that worked well?
Salman: Thank you very much. I am very happy that we won the match. When we came for the Tri-Series, it was nothing more than a practice for us because the Asia Cup is our main goal. But the atmosphere was created as if this was a very big final and we had to win it. As a team, we think about winning every game, and we thought about winning this one too. But I feel this was a practice for the Asia Cup because if we win this and don't win the Asia Cup, it doesn't matter. So, that's one thing. And second, I think we assessed the conditions very well today, both when we were batting and playing with three spinners, which I think was the trump card.
Question: Salman, first of all, congratulations. You performed very well today. There should not be any criticism, but the Pakistan team must have learned a lot from this Tri-Series. If I talk about the top five players who have hit the most sixes, there are a lot of power hitters in the Pakistan team, and in T20, power hitters can change the game. But there is not a single Pakistani batsman in the top five. There are three from Afghanistan and two from UAE. What do you think, shouldn't we have been on that list with the number of power hitters we have before the Asia Cup?
Salman: Sir, I would say that we can be at the fifth or sixth position in hitting sixes in the Asia Cup too. There shouldn't be any player of ours on that list, but we should win the Asia Cup. Sir, at the end of the day, winning is what matters. It doesn't really matter who hits more sixes if you don't win. But yes, I don't have any concerns about this. You pray that we are at the bottom of the list in terms of sixes in the Asia Cup, but we win the Asia Cup. I'll take that.
Question: Last question. You played at the Dubai International Stadium, you played at the ICC Academy, and you played here as well. Can you tell us a little about how different these wickets are from each other? Can we expect that when the matches begin in Dubai, it will be a very close situation as far as the wickets are concerned?
Salman: I think all three wickets, you can say, Dubai, here, and at the ICC, the wicket is very good. But I think the conditions are different in Dubai and here. Because in the first three or four matches we played in Sharjah, the wicket was very good. I think you would have seen 170-180 being scored in every match. But today's pitch was completely different, I think. It was a 130-140 wicket. So, I think in the UAE, you can expect anything to happen. You can get a 200-run wicket, and you can also get pitches like this. So, I think it's a little difficult to predict because you have seen here that 200 runs are also scored, and sometimes it becomes difficult to chase 130-140.
. Everyone knows that. Hafeez and Malik are consistently worse batters then agha but have played knocks due to longetivity that agha hasnt replicated.
