Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha on Monday revealed that the team management has finalised a 25-player pool with the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in mind, focusing on building bench strength and long-term team stability.
Speaking to media ahead of the team’s departure for Bangladesh, Agha emphasised that Pakistan is strategically preparing a versatile group of players who can step up at any time.
“We want to have players ready who can replace anyone when needed. That’s how we are working on our bench strength,” he said.
He confirmed that the team management will continue rotating and testing these 25 players in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. “The plan is to see only these 25 players in action until the World Cup,” Agha noted.
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Addressing the inclusion of senior players, the captain reaffirmed that Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan are all part of the World Cup pool.
“Shaheen’s performance speaks for itself, he remains a crucial asset for Pakistan,” he added.
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Responding to a question about Mohammad Nawaz’s surprise inclusion, Agha said the all-rounder was drafted in to replace the injured Shadab Khan.
“We were looking for someone with a similar profile to Shadab. Nawaz fits that role,” he explained, adding that performance fluctuates, but a player’s potential must always be considered.
The skipper further stated that a preparatory camp was held in Karachi keeping in mind the conditions of upcoming series.
“We trained here because of the favorable spin conditions, which resemble what we expect in the coming matches,” he said.
Looking ahead, Agha said he’s not concerned about the captaincy in future series. “My focus is always on the current assignment. I want to extract the best performance from my players,” he said.
Commenting on the challenge ahead, Agha warned that Bangladesh could be a formidable opponent in home conditions.
“They’ve beaten strong sides at home, we’ll need to be at our best,” he said.
Agha concluded by emphasizing the need for consistency in leadership and cricketing systems.
“One or two months are not enough to build results. I’m ready to do whatever it takes for Pakistan cricket to reach its potential,” he said.