Salman Ali Agha Confident in Pakistan’s T20I Team Ahead of New Zealand Series

Desk

Pakistan’s T20 International (T20I) captain, Salman Ali Agha, expressed confidence in his team’s abilities as they aim to avenge their recent defeats against New Zealand. Speaking at a pre-series press conference on Sunday, the 31-year-old all-rounder acknowledged the team’s previous losses but remained optimistic about their upcoming performances.

“We didn’t perform to the level we expected, nor did we meet our fans’ expectations, which is why they were disappointed. But we have a new team now, and that doesn’t mean it isn’t a strong one,” Salman said. “Our squad has experienced players, and we believe we have the right combination to play good cricket and win.”

Salman’s comments come after New Zealand’s dominance over Pakistan in recent tournaments, including the Tri-Nation Series and the ICC Champions Trophy, both of which were played on home soil. Despite these setbacks, Agha emphasized the strengths of the current squad.

He also discussed the importance of spinners on the green pitch, despite its typical favoring of pace bowlers. “The pitch looks green, but spinners will also find some assistance. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf have been excellent in T20 cricket, and while we will miss Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, both are recovering quickly and should be ready for the series,” he added.

Agha further touched on Pakistan’s ongoing transition in cricket, moving away from heavy reliance on stalwarts like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. “Babar and Rizwan have been instrumental for Pakistan cricket, but now we’re working on building new combinations. The playing XI hasn’t been finalized yet, but we are confident in our squad and focused on strong performances,” he stated.

This series marks the debut of young talents Abdul Samad and Hassan Nawaz, who have earned their first call-ups to the national team. The white-ball series between Pakistan and New Zealand will include five T20Is and three ODIs, running until April 5, 2025.

The last T20I series between the two teams ended in a 2-2 draw in April 2024, with the first match in Rawalpindi being washed out due to rain.

New Zealand T20I Squad:

Michael Bracewell (captain), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zakary Foulkes, Mitchell Hay, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.

Pakistan T20I Squad:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan.

Schedule for Pakistan’s Tour of New Zealand: