Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has set a rebellious tone for his team’s strategy and their plan to show their true feelings on the field as they prepare for an exciting Asia Cup final on Sunday.
Agha refused to control his fast bowlers, claiming that aggression is a natural element of their game, despite Haris Rauf’s provocative gestures in previous games having generated a lot of discussion.
“Every individual has the right to express emotions. If we stop a fast bowler from showing emotions, what’s left then? I won’t stop anyone as long as it is not disrespectful,” on the eve of the championship match, Agha made a strong statement.
The all-rounder dismissed the outside buzz while acknowledging the significance of an India-Pakistan final.
“India versus Pakistan matches come with baggage of pressure. In the last two games we lost because we made more mistakes,” he admitted.
“The final brings the same pressure on both teams. We don’t care what the Indian media says. For us, it’s only about doing the basics right.”
Agha was not afraid to criticize himself as he got ready to captain Pakistan in the marquee final.
“Yes, I haven’t performed well and my strike-rate hasn’t been up to the mark. It’s not necessary to bat at 150 strike-rate but to play as per the demand of the situation,” he admitted.
Despite diplomatic highs and lows, Agha maintained that sportsmanship has remained constant despite the commotion surrounding India-Pakistan matches, which frequently extend beyond cricket.
“I started playing U-16 in 2007. I never saw any teams not shaking hands. Even when Indo-Pak relations were worse, we still shook hands,” he recalled.
With TV studios on both sides scrutinizing every move and word, Agha’s motto was straightforward: put the trophy first and ignore the “uncontrollables.”
“We can’t control what’s happening outside. We can control the controllables. And that is winning the Asia Cup.”
