Christchurch, March 15, 2025: Pakistan’s newly appointed T20 captain, Salman Ali Agha, has expressed confidence ahead of the upcoming series against New Zealand, asserting that the team has come to win and will play competitive cricket.
Addressing a press conference in Christchurch, Salman acknowledged the disappointment of Pakistani fans following recent underwhelming performances.
“Pakistani fans are not happy because we haven’t played good cricket. We neither met their expectations nor played up to our own standards,” he admitted. However, he emphasized that despite the team undergoing changes, it remains a strong unit with a solid mix of experience and fresh talent.
“Having a new team doesn’t mean we are weak. We have senior players as well, and we are here to win by playing quality cricket,” he added. Discussing the conditions at Hagley Oval, Salman noted that while the pitch appears green, spinners could also find assistance. He praised the contributions of fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, highlighting their strength in the shortest format of the game.
He also acknowledged the absence of key players Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub but remained optimistic about their return. “We will miss Fakhar and Saim as they are key players. However, they are recovering quickly and should be back for upcoming series,” he said. The captain recognized the contributions of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in Pakistan’s T20 setup and stressed the importance of building a new team combination. However, he confirmed that the playing XI for the first match is yet to be finalized.
With a new leadership at the helm, Pakistan will be looking to turn the tide and put on a strong performance in the highly anticipated series against New Zealand.
