Salman Agha pulls no punches, delivers brutal assessment on Pakistan’s Super 8 exit at T20 World Cup

Salman Agha admitted that his batters, saved for Sahibzada Farhan, failed to deliver consistently throughout the tournament.

Updated on: Mar 1, 2026, 09:13:54 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Pakistan captain Salman Agha did not shy away from confronting reality after the team’s exit from the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup, offering a frank assessment of where things went wrong. He admitted that his batters, saved for Sahibzada Farhan, failed to deliver consistently throughout the tournament.

Pakistan's captain Salman Agha reacts during the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan (AFP)

Agha’s comments came after Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Saturday to register a consolation win. However, having failed to restrict the hosts to 147 or fewer after setting a daunting 213-run target, Pakistan were unable to overtake New Zealand on net run rate and were eliminated from the semifinal race. They have now failed to reach the last four in their previous two T20 World Cup appearances since finishing runners-up in 2022.

ALSO READ: Mohsin Naqvi to crack whip after T20 World Cup flop: Salman Agha to lose captaincy; Babar Azam’s T20I future in peril

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Agha acknowledged that middle-order batting has been a persistent concern for Pakistan over the past few years. In a bold call, the management even dropped Babar Azam from the playing XI for Saturday’s game against Sri Lanka due to his prolonged poor form.

“We couldn’t bat well throughout the tournament. If Farhan had more support, it would have been better. The middle order has been a problem for a few years now, and we’ll have to address that,” Agha said.

On Saturday, Pakistan looked set for a total in excess of 240 as openers Farhan (100) and Fakhar Zaman (84) went hammer and tongs, putting on a 176-run partnership in 15.5 overs. However, the rest of the batting line-up collapsed, managing just 36 runs thereafter.

“Couldn’t finish the way we wanted to. We batted well for 18 overs, but the opposition bowled well in the last two. Even 160 would have been difficult to defend,” Agha added.

“It was always challenging after losing the toss because of the dew. It could have been a different story had we won the toss. Dew was definitely a factor. We couldn’t execute our plans. Usman Tariq had an off day — it happens.”

Meanwhile, Agha faces uncertainty over his future as Pakistan’s T20I captain. A PTI report claimed that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was “unhappy” with the team’s performance and had decided to remove the 32-year-old from the leadership role. Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi are reportedly being considered as potential replacements.

The report also stated that decisions will be taken regarding the futures of several senior players, including Babar Azam.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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