Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as Pakistan’s T20I captain, promising a shift towards “fearless cricket.” He replaces Mohammad Rizwan amid ongoing instability in the team’s leadership, which has seen multiple captains since January 2024. Pakistan’s poor performance, including a group-stage exit at the last T20 World Cup, has led to significant squad changes, with Rizwan and Babar Azam dropped for a younger, more aggressive lineup. Agha emphasizes the need for a high-risk playing style, supported by vice-captain Shadab Khan. The Pakistan Cricket Board aims to build a strong, adaptable team for upcoming tournaments, focusing on improvement and consistency.
Pakistan’s recent performances have been disappointing, notably marked by a group stage exit from the T20 World Cup last year where they faced a defeat against the USA. This has led to a comprehensive overhaul of the squad, featuring several new players and, importantly, the exclusion of some veterans.
Central to this shift are Rizwan and Babar, whose top-order batting has often been criticized as a key factor in Pakistan’s outdated and cautious batting strategy. While their return to the format isn’t entirely ruled out, it is evident that they have been dropped, rather than rested.
“It’s a privilege for me and certainly a challenge,” Agha stated during a press conference in Lahore. “We’ve introduced a few youngsters into the team who have been exhibiting the style of cricket we intend to adopt in the national side moving forward.
“Our focus needs to be on our intent and approach, which we must enhance. In contemporary cricket, these elements are crucial. This is a youthful team, and we aspire to play fearless cricket, which is synonymous with high-risk strategies—essential in modern cricket. While there may be setbacks with this approach, we must back our players.”
The PCB has appointed Agha with an eye on the Asia Cup (in T20 format) later this year and the World Cup scheduled in India and Sri Lanka next year. Shadab Khan has been reinstated as vice-captain, presumably for this initiative, as a player who aligns with this brand of cricket.
Aaqib, who also heads the selection committee, continues in this capacity for the series of five T20Is and three ODIs against New Zealand, although there are speculations about a new coach. When directly asked about Babar and Rizwan, he explicitly connected their exclusion to the playing style Pakistan aims to embrace.
“No one is permanently out but for now, we believe it’s essential to bring in fresh, younger talent and adjust our style of cricket. Numerous teams have diversified their T20 squads from the others, with differing personnel by up to 80-90%.”
The absence of Afridi and Haris Rauf from the ODI squad underscores the trend of significant player exclusions, and Aaqib clarified that they need to return to domestic cricket to hone their skills.
“Top players like Babar, Shaheen, and Riz often travel extensively, leaving little time for domestic cricket,” he noted. “Now they have the opportunity to play domestically. It’s impossible to excel in Tests or ODIs without engaging in four-day cricket. You cannot spend the year focused predominantly on T20 and then seamlessly shift to Tests or ODIs.
“The players must take personal responsibility in this matter, as ultimately, they are accountable for their own game. Isn’t it their duty to contemplate their game and its trajectory? Shouldn’t they consider sacrificing T20 opportunities to focus on four-day or List A cricket to regain their form?”
Both Agha and Aaqib emphasized the goal of establishing a pool of 20-25 players for Pakistan to nurture over the next 18 months. They also highlighted the importance of providing support through failures.
Aaqib acknowledged the turmoil that has impacted Pakistan cricket in recent years, of which he is, at this moment, a beneficiary.
“In the past two years, we have changed nearly 16 coaches and 26 selectors,” he remarked. “You apply that formula to any team globally, and I believe they would find themselves in a similar situation. Stability is essential from the top down, starting with the chairman, for your team to progress.”