Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has made it clear that seniority or poplarity won’t be a shortcut into the playing XI as his side begins its T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Speaking ahead of Pakistan’s opening stretch, Agha said the team will prioritise the “best combination” — even if that means leaving out established names.
In a press conference, Agha struck a balance between backing his seniors and drawing a firm selection line: performance, fitness and team balance first; everything else later.
At the heart of Salman Agha’s message was a simple idea: Pakistan won’t pick a XI to satisfy reputations — it will pick one to win games. “Jo best combination hain, hum wohi khilane ki kosish karenge (We will try to play the best combination),” Agha said, signalling that the side is likely to lean heavily into match-ups, roles and conditions rather than a fixed template.
He then addressed the two names that always dominate any Pakistan team debate — Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam — and didn’t leave much room for sentimentality. “Usme agar koi senior players, Fakhar or Babar fit nahi hote toh, hum nahi khilayenge unko (If senior players like Fakhar or Babar don’t fit into that combination, we won’t play them),” he said. “Hum wohi khillayenge jo team ke liye best hain (We will play only those who are best for the team).”
{{/usCountry}}He then addressed the two names that always dominate any Pakistan team debate — Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam — and didn’t leave much room for sentimentality. “Usme agar koi senior players, Fakhar or Babar fit nahi hote toh, hum nahi khilayenge unko (If senior players like Fakhar or Babar don’t fit into that combination, we won’t play them),” he said. “Hum wohi khillayenge jo team ke liye best hain (We will play only those who are best for the team).”
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The line is blunt, but it also reads like a captain trying to protect the larger unit from noise — and perhaps protect the players themselves from being forced into roles that don’t suit the team’s current structure. In tournaments like the T20 World Cup, where conditions swing fast and each match can demand a different tactical call, Pakistan’s best XI can change by venue, opposition and pitch.
Still, Agha was careful not to frame it as a takedown of his seniors. In fact, he went out of his way to credit their contributions — while keeping the selection door conditional. “Fakhar ne i think peechle 10 saal mein Pakistan ke liye bohot performance ki hain (I think Fakhar has performed a lot for Pakistan over the last 10 years),” he said, before adding, “waise hi Babar ne bhi bohot performance ki hain (Similarly, Babar has also delivered a lot of performances).”
Agha also underlined that support and selection are two different things. “Meri fully support unlogo ke liye hain (They have my full support),” he said, but reiterated the bottom line: “Lekin jo team ke liye behtar hain hum playing XI wohi banayenge (But we will make a playing XI that is best for the team).”
For Pakistan, the statement sets the tone early: this World Cup will be about clarity, combinations and tough calls — not comfort.