Dubai
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has urged his team to improve their batting in the middle overs ahead of their big Asia Cup Super Four match against India on September 21.
After a 41-run win over the UAE, Agha said the team still has work to do. “We got the job done, but we needed to bat better in the middle overs,” he said. Pakistan posted 146/9, boosted by Shaheen Afridi’s late 29* off 14 balls.
Agha praised the bowlers and Afridi’s batting but admitted the batting line-up is struggling. “We haven’t batted to our best yet,” he noted, highlighting the key phase between overs 7 to 15. Saim Ayub has not scored in three games, and Agha himself has yet to settle at the crease.
Pakistan now face arch-rivals India, who beat them earlier in the tournament. That match also stirred controversy when Indian players reportedly refused to shake hands post-game, due to rising political tensions.
Looking ahead, Agha said, “We’re ready for any challenge. If we play good cricket, we can beat any side.”
For Pakistan, better middle-order batting could decide their fate in this heated clash.