KEY POINTS
- Salman Ali Agha urges media to shift focus from Babar Azam to team.
- Agha stresses player roles and adaptability as key to countering Australian side.
- Three-match series is crucial final preparation for T20 World Cup.
LAHORE, Pakistan: The trophy for the three-match Twenty20 international series between Pakistan and Australia was unveiled on Wednesday, with captains Salman Ali Agha and Mitchell Marsh presenting the silverware ahead of the opening match at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
Captains Salman Ali Agha of Pakistan and Australia’s Mitchell Marsh jointly presented the silverware ahead of the pre-series press conference, where the home skipper promptly shifted focus from individual stardom to collective responsibility.
‘Let him bat’
In a firm message to the media, Pakistan’s T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, emphasised the importance of team performance over the spotlight on any single player, specifically urging reporters to look beyond star batter Babar Azam.
“I hope that when I attend the press conference, there are no questions about Babar,” Agha stated.
“There are 14 other players, batsmen in the team, so think about them as well and talk about them too. Let him be and focus on batting.”
Agha stressed that the team is forging its own identity and that the series is crucial for finalising combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup.
“We are moving in our own direction. The next three matches are very important. This series will give us a good idea about our 11 players,” he added.
Adaptability key against consistent Australia
The middle-order batter outlined a clear, situation-aware strategy for his squad against a formidable Australian side.
“Roles are clear for every player; we know exactly what we need from each one. We should play according to what the team requires,” Agha explained, highlighting the need for adaptability in batting approach based on match conditions.
Acknowledging Australia’s strength, he noted that the absence of some key players does not lessen the challenge.
“Australia’s mindset is consistent; even if their main players are missing, it doesn’t make a difference. For us, this is an opportunity to win the series,” Agha said, also tipping young talent Usman Tariq to be a potential ‘trump card.’
T20 World Cup preparations
The series, with matches scheduled for January 31 and February 1 following Thursday’s opener, serves as vital preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.
This tour marks Australia’s third visit to Pakistan since 2022.
The historic rivals have faced each other 28 times in T20 internationals, with Australia holding a narrow edge of 14 wins to Pakistan’s 12, alongside one tie and one no-result.
Pakistan, drawn in World Cup Group A with India, the USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia, will be looking to build momentum, while Australia will fine-tune its game in Group B, which includes Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Oman.
Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq.
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa.
