Salman Agha’s hands tied; Pakistan captain urges to shift attention to ‘3 other games’ as India World Cup match unlikely

“The India game is not in our control. It was the government’s decision," Pakistan captain Salman Agha reiterated his point.

Updated on: Feb 5, 2026, 16:01:14 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Salman Ali Agha had nothing new to add to his previous stance regarding facing India at the T20 World Cup on February 15. On Sunday, Agha stood by the Pakistan government’s decision to boycott the India clash in Colombo, with little changing over the last four days. During the captain’s press conference, despite being asked the same question several times, Salman reiterated his point of abiding by the orders.

Salman Agha is clear as to what Pakistan have to do (AFP)

“The India game is not in our control. It was the government’s decision, and again, if we have to play them in the semi-final or the final, we have to go back to them and act on their advice. It's the government's decision, and we respect that and whatever they are going to say, we’ll do it,” Agha said on Thursday.

Pakistan, watch out for the USA

Pakistan open their T20 World Cup campaign on Saturday against the Netherlands before facing the USA on February 10. If the India match doesn’t take place, Pakistan get an eight-day break before playing Namibia. Among these teams, the USA is one they’d better watch out for since they handed them a rude upset two years ago. The skipper urged the media to shift its focus to the three matches at hand, rather than repeatedly beating the India vs Pakistan drum.

Also Read: Pakistan boycott India T20 World Cup 2026, LIVE Updates

“We are playing three other games, and we are very excited about that. Yeah, we lost to the USA in the last World Cup, but that's history now. It's a new World Cup, a new team, and a new combination, and we are very excited about that,” added Agha.

Pakistan are entering the T20 World Cup on the back of beating Australia 3-0 at home a few nights ago. Switching from Babar Azam in the last three T20 World Cups to now Agha, Pakistan will be hoping for a good show, aiming to go one up from their semi-final finish in 2021.

“It's my first World Cup as a captain, and I'm very excited about that. And yeah, I don't know how to describe myself as a captain. Let the people do it, I just want to lead from the front and try to make as much as I can for my players and take the best out of them and give them an environment where they can play their best,” the captain pointed out.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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