Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has taken a bold call ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, confirming that he will bat at the No. 3 position throughout the tournament. It comes as a notable change in Agha’s T20I career, who has largely operated in the middle and lower order. Explaining the reason behind his decision, Agha believed that he can give Pakistan a sharper attacking edge at No. 3.
In Pakistan’s opening T20I against Australia in Lahore on Thursday, Agha walked in at No. 3 and immediately made his presence felt. He belted a brisk 39, helping Pakistan secure a convincing 22-run victory. With the World Cup just days away, the decision turned out to be meaningful.
Speaking after the match, Agha confirmed that the promotion was not a one-off experiment. He revealed that he will continue batting at No. 3 for the remainder of the Australia series and carry the role into the T20 World Cup.
"Yes, I'll be batting at No. 3. Because we are going to face a lot of spin, and I believe I can dominate spin during the powerplay. That's why I went to bat at No. 3, and that is where I'm going to bat," Agha said at the post-match presentation.
Deciding to bat, Pakistan put out a total of 168/8 in 20 overs, with Saim Ayub contributing 40 at the top. Later, defending the total, Pakistan restricted Australia to 146/8 in 20 overs, with Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub taking two wickets each. Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan chipped in with one scalp each.
"It was a great game. We started well with the bat but couldn't finish the way we wanted. But it was challenging after the first 10 overs as the ball was not coming onto the bat, but I think we were outstanding with the ball," Agha said.