Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha adresses a pre-series press convention forward of Pakistan’s T20I conflict in opposition to New Zealand on this nonetheless taken from a video. — Screengrab/YouTube/Pakistan Cricket
CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan’s T20 Worldwide (T20I) captain Salman Ali Agha appears prepared for redemption as he expressed optimism forward of the collection opener in opposition to New Zealand on Sunday.
At a pre-series press convention, the 31-year-old all-rounder highlighted the workforce’s strengths and voiced confidence of their efficiency.
“We didn’t play up to our own standards or the expectations of our fans, which is why they are disappointed. But we have a new team, and that doesn’t mean it’s not a good team.Â
“There are skilled gamers within the squad as nicely, and we imagine we’ve a powerful mixture to play good cricket and win,” Salman stated.
His remarks come after the Black Caps trampled the Green Shirts in back-to-back tournaments, including the Tri-Nation Series and the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy — both times on home soil.
He acknowledged the importance of spinners despite the green pitch and provided updates on injured players Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub.
‘The pitch looks green, but spinners will also get some assistance. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf have performed well in T20 cricket, and we will miss Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, who are key players. Thankfully, they are recovering quickly and should be back in action for the upcoming series,” he stated.
Moreover, he mentioned the continued transition section in Pakistan cricket, stressing the need of creating new mixtures after years of dependence on stalwarts Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
“Babar Azam and Rizwan have contributed a lot to Pakistan cricket, and now we are working on building a new combination. The playing XI has not been finalized yet, but we are confident in our squad and focused on delivering strong performances,” he added.
It’s pertinent to say that the white-ball collection between the Males in Inexperienced and the Blackcaps consists of 5 T20Is, adopted by three One Day Internationals (ODIs), working till April 5.
The collection additionally marks the debut of younger abilities Abdul Samad and Hassan Nawaz, who’ve earned their maiden call-ups to the nationwide workforce.
The final T20I collection between Pakistan and New Zealand occurred in April 2024, when the Blackcaps toured Pakistan. The five-match collection resulted in a 2-2 draw after the primary sport in Rawalpindi was washed out attributable to rain.
New Zealand T20I Squad:
Michael Bracewell (capt), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Zakary Foulkes, Mitchell Hay, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
Pakistan T20I Squad:
Salman Ali Agha (capt), Shadab Khan (vice-capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan.
Schedule for Pakistan’s tour of New ZealandMarch 16 – First T20I, Hagley Oval, ChristchurchMarch 18 – Second T20I, College Oval, DunedinMarch 21 – Third T20I, Eden Park, AucklandMarch 23 – Fourth T20I, Bay Oval, Mount MaunganuiMarch 26 – Fifth T20I, Sky Stadium, WellingtonMarch 29 – First ODI, McLean Park, NapierApril 2 – Second ODI, Seddon Park, HamiltonApril 5 – Third ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
