Despite facing the ire of fans and political leaders alike after three successive defeats against India in the Asia Cup, Pakistan is set to retain Salman Agha as captain of the national Twenty20 side, sources have confirmed to Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net).
Political Pressure Mounts After India Losses
Agha’s captaincy has come under sharp criticism from the ruling coalition, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself expressing discontent — for one reason in particular: losing all three matches to India.
Pakistan fell short in all three chases, losing by seven, six and five wickets respectively, with the final defeat especially galling as Agha’s team let multiple winning chances slip away.
The Prime Minister showed displeasure over the manner in which Pakistan lost all three matches and was unhappy at the timid nature of the captaincy.
According to the minister, most cabinet members watched the final together in Islamabad’s parliament lodges, and were collectively dismayed by Agha’s tactics. “No one wants to see Pakistan lose to India, and this was a bitter pill to swallow,” the minister added.
Tactical Blunders Under Scrutiny
Agha’s in-game decisions have also been questioned — particularly his choice to hand the 15th over to pacer Haris Rauf, who conceded 17 runs, shifting the momentum decisively towards India.
The pitch was assisting spinners — Indian spinners took eight Pakistani wickets — and yet Agha didn’t use Saim Ayub’s one over or Mohammad Nawaz’s remaining three.
Calls For Shaheen To Take Charge
Within political and cricketing circles, there is growing support for Shaheen Shah Afridi to replace Agha as captain. Shaheen, known for his aggression and leadership, led Lahore Qalandars to back-to-back Pakistan Super League titles earlier this year.
The parliamentarians were unanimous that Agha should be replaced with Shaheen.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and head coach Mike Hesson appear unwilling to make a change this close to the Twenty20 World Cup, set for February–March next year in India and Sri Lanka.
Hesson Backs Continuity
While the five-member selection committee is reportedly open to a new captain, Hesson has argued for stability, emphasising the need for continuity across all formats. “Hesson wants Agha to stay on, just as Shan Masood continues as Test skipper and Mohammad Rizwan is expected to retain the ODI captaincy,” sources confirmed.
Busy Calendar Ahead
Pakistan’s next assignment is a three-match T20I series against South Africa starting October 28, followed by a tri-series involving Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in November. They will then host Australia for three T20Is in the build-up to the T20 World Cup, which promises to be another high-pressure test of Agha’s leadership and temperament.
