Salman Ali Agha reflects on tri-nation T20I series win over Afghanistan

SHARJAH: Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha praised his team’s performance after the national side secured a commanding 75-run victory over Afghanistan in the final of the tri-nation series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Speaking during the post-match presentation, Agha reflected on Pakistan’s innings and the total they set for Afghanistan, describing it as a challenging target.

"We knew that a score around 140 would be tough, and once we reached that total, we felt it would be a challenging chase for them," he said.

The all-rounder also lauded the exceptional performance of Mohammad Nawaz, highlighting his contributions with bat, ball, and in the field.

"Since his comeback, Nawaz has been outstanding — delivering consistently in all facets of the game. Whenever we are in difficult situations, he is the kind of player we can rely on," Agha added.

Discussing Pakistan’s strategy of playing two spinners, the skipper explained the rationale behind the decision.

"There was a lot of discussion, even from former cricketers and on social media, about playing two spinners. But for us, the decision always depends on the pitch conditions. We assess the pitch on the day, and today, playing two spinners worked well," he stated.

Looking ahead to the Asia Cup 2025, the 31-year-old emphasised the significance of the Sharjah series as preparation for the bigger tournament.

"This series was tough, but our focus was on preparing for the Asia Cup. Of course, we wanted to win, but the bigger goal was preparation," Agha said.

"As a team, we’ve been building well since the Bangladesh series. We’re in good shape and fully ready for the Asia Cup," he added.

Pakistan’s victory was powered by an extraordinary performance from spinner Mohammad Nawaz. 

Chasing 142, Afghanistan were bowled out for 66. Shaheen Afridi removed opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for five in the first over, setting the tone.

Sediqullah Atal fell for 13 to Abrar Ahmed, while Nawaz struck twice in a single over, dismissing Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai. 

He then completed his hat-trick by removing Ibrahim Zadran and claimed his fourth wicket by dismissing Karim Janat, reducing Afghanistan to 32-6. Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem also took two wickets each.

Pakistan’s innings saw early setbacks with Sahibzada Farhan dismissed for a duck. Saim Ayub (17) and Fakhar Zaman (27) tried to stabilize the innings before falling to spin. 

Skipper Salman Ali Agha and Nawaz added 40 runs together, with Nawaz contributing 25, helping Pakistan set a target of 141-8.

For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan took 3/38, while Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and AM Ghazanfar claimed the remaining wickets.