Pakistan’s skipper, Salman Ali Agha, has publicly attributed his team’s successive losses against India in the ongoing Asia Cup to the notoriously ‘flat’ pitches encountered in Dubai. Agha expressed frustration, stating that these conditions simply do not facilitate scoring beyond the 200-run mark. He stood firm in his defense of his batsmen’s performances, the tactical decision to bat Hussain Talat higher up the order, and the less-than-stellar outings by key bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed. The captain further reiterated his confidence in the team’s bowling strategies, emphasizing that Faheem Ashraf’s later introduction into the attack was a calculated move, not an oversight.
In a span of just seven days, Pakistan suffered two significant defeats at the hands of their arch-rivals. India first triumphed by seven wickets during the group stage. This was followed by another decisive victory on Sunday, where the Indian squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, clinched a dominant six-wicket win.
Recalling their formidable performance earlier in May, where the Salman Ali Agha-led team consistently surpassed the 200-run mark in a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, the captain highlighted a stark contrast. Since those impressive displays, Pakistan has struggled to replicate that aggressive scoring.
Addressing reporters, Agha explained, “The series you’re referring to, against Bangladesh, was played in Pakistan, where a score of 200 is considered par. Subsequently, we’ve played in Bangladesh, America against West Indies, Sharjah for a tri-nation series, and now here in Dubai. These current conditions are simply not conducive to scoring 200 runs; they don’t allow it. We must adapt and respect these different playing environments.”
He further elaborated, “I believe the prevailing conditions prevented us from achieving a 200-plus total. Provide us with favorable pitches, and you will witness the same aggressive batting we displayed against Bangladesh. Clearly, there’s a significant disparity in playing conditions.”
Despite an explosive beginning, Pakistan endured a perplexing phase where they failed to hit a single boundary for 37 consecutive balls. Agha defended his batting lineup, arguing that the Dubai pitch posed considerable challenges for new batsmen. He even drew comparisons to the Indian batsmen’s struggles, though he acknowledged that India’s Tilak Verma managed to navigate these difficulties, scoring an unbeaten 30 off 19 balls to guide his team to victory.
He elaborated on the batting struggles: “The wickets are such that it’s incredibly tough for a new batsman to immediately find their rhythm and play attacking shots. Therefore, it’s crucial for a set batsman to anchor the innings until the very end. Even the Indian batsmen found it challenging to gauge the pace of the wicket. During that critical phase, we lost two established batsmen, which severely disrupted our momentum.”
During the post-match press conference, Salman Ali Agha appeared somewhat on the defensive as he explained the strategic decision to send Hussain Talat to bat ahead of Mohammad Haris, who is known for his aggressive hitting.
Agha justified his call, stating, “I believe Hussain Talat is a very adept batsman against spin bowling. Our thinking at the time was that maintaining a right-hand, left-hand batting combination would unsettle the opposition bowlers, particularly making it harder for their spinners to find their rhythm.”
Pakistan’s star pace bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, had a disappointing outing against India, and spinner Abrar Ahmed also seemed to lack his usual effectiveness. Despite their struggles, the captain came to their defense, highlighting their strong past performances.
“One could argue they simply had an off day,” Agha commented. “Both Shaheen and Abrar have consistently bowled exceptionally well. When you’ve maintained such high standards, a single sub-par performance isn’t a major concern.”
The Pakistan captain also faced tough questions regarding the belated introduction of Faheem Ashraf into the bowling attack, particularly as Ashraf managed to dismiss Shubman Gill in his very first over.
Defending his strategy, Agha stated, “We meticulously adhere to our team’s pre-planned tactics. Our decision was to deploy Faheem after the tenth over, as his off-cutters and disciplined length deliveries are particularly effective in that phase. His performance today, securing a wicket in his first over, validated this approach; he bowled exceptionally well. However, when you suffer a loss, it’s easy for people to second-guess decisions, suggesting a bowler should have been introduced earlier or later. These thoughts arise only in hindsight. But what if we had brought him on earlier, and he had proven expensive?”