Christchurch: Pakistan’s T20 captain Salman Ali Agha, stated that the team is new and working on forming a fresh combination. He expressed confidence in playing good cricket against New Zealand.
Speaking at a press conference in Christchurch, Salman Ali Agha acknowledged that Pakistani fans are unhappy because the team has not performed well. He admitted that they neither played according to fans’ expectations nor lived up to their standards.
He emphasized that having a new team does not mean it is not a good team. He highlighted that the squad includes senior players and has a potent combination. He assured them that they had come to win and would play competitive cricket.
Regarding the pitch at Hagley Oval, the national captain mentioned that although it appears green, spinners will also get assistance. He praised Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf’s performances in T20 cricket. However, he admitted that Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub will be missed as they are key players. He added that both are recovering quickly and are expected to be available for the upcoming series.
Salman Ali Agha also acknowledged the contributions of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to Pakistan cricket. He mentioned that they are working on a new team combination but have not yet finalized the playing XI for the first match.
It is worth mentioning that the first T20 match between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played tomorrow at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
