According to details, although Pakistan reached the Asia Cup final held in the UAE, three defeats against India triggered severe criticism, especially directed at captain Salman Ali Agha. His batting performance was disappointing — 72 runs in seven matches at an average of 12 and a strike rate of just 80.89. Officials were reportedly unhappy with some of his decisions, particularly in the final.
Overall, under Salman’s leadership, Pakistan has won 17 out of 30 T20 matches and lost 13. During this period, he scored 557 runs, including four fifties. Sources revealed that during a recent meeting, when Salman’s performance was discussed, the selectors defended him by citing the example of India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, who also scored 72 runs in the Asia Cup with an average of 18.
Coach Mike Hesson believes that decisions should be consistent — if the captain and team are given time, positive results will eventually follow. Sources added that the PCB had also considered handing the captaincy back to Shaheen Afridi, but the selectors and coach opposed it. Surprisingly, they also resisted bringing Babar Azam back into the T20 squad, arguing that young cricketers should continue to get more opportunities.
During the Asia Cup, due to the batting lineup’s failures, the PCB had planned to send a senior batter to the UAE, but since squad changes were only allowed in case of injuries, that did not happen. Based on his recent performance, Salman does not merit a place in the team as a batter; however, selectors and the coach consider him an intelligent captain.
It is worth noting that Pakistan won the Tri-Nation Series held in Sharjah before the Asia Cup. The team’s next T20 challenge will be against South Africa, with three matches scheduled on October 28, 31, and November 1. The T20 World Cup will begin on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.