Salman Ali Agha hints at T20 World Cup stance after Australia win amid PCB's deleted messages, delay drama

Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Pakistan clinched the home series against Australia.

Updated on: Feb 1, 2026, 13:59:57 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Amid continued delays in the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) official announcement on participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, captain Salman Ali Agha subtly hinted at the team’s stance on preparations for the ICC tournament after clinching the home series against Australia on Saturday.

Pakistan's captain Salman Agha plays a shot during the second T20I match between Pakistan and Australia in Lahore on January 31, 2026 (AFP)

Ahead of the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7, Pakistan hosted Australia for a three-match T20I series and sealed it by winning the first two matches, including a dominant 90-run victory in Lahore. It marked Pakistan’s first T20I series win over Australia since 2018.

After the win, Agha, who set the tone for Pakistan’s highest-ever T20I total of 198 for five with a blistering 40-ball 76, said the team would approach the series finale on Sunday with the same mindset, despite already securing the rubber. In doing so, he made a pointed reference to the World Cup, indicating that the side is keen to carry its momentum into the global tournament.

ALSO READ: Usman Tariq claps back at Cameron Green after action jibe in Australia’s Lahore humiliation

“We batted well and then were outstanding with the ball. The fielding was also outstanding. We want to play in the same way, forget the 2-0 scoreline, come again with the same intensity and go to the World Cup with the same energy,” Agha said.

His comments came a day after fresh chaos erupted over PCB’s continued delay in making its World Cup stance official. On Friday, a message was reportedly circulated from the Pakistan camp to players detailing their travel plans for the tournament. However, according to a report by RevSportz, the message, sent by the team’s media manager, was deleted shortly afterwards.

PCB is expected to make an official announcement on Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup on Monday. Despite the uncertainty, players have reportedly already booked their travel to Sri Lanka, where the team is scheduled to be based during the tournament.

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

Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.