Lahore, Jan 30 (.) Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has confirmed he will bat at No.3 for his side during the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, signalling a clear shift in Pakistan’s batting approach ahead of the global tournament.
Ali Agha has predominantly batted later in Pakistan’s top six across his T20I career, but most recently has taken it upon himself to move up to the crucial No.3 position in order to provide a more attacking option for his side, as per the International Cricket Council (ICC) website.
The move paid dividends in the opening T20I against Australia on Thursday, when the right-hander struck a brisk 39 as Pakistan secured a 22-run victory in Lahore.
“Yes, I’ll be batting at No.3,” Ali Agha said after the match. “We expect to face a lot of spin, and I believe I can dominate spin during the Powerplay. That’s why I moved up, and that is where I’ll stay.”
His promotion is likely to see former skipper Babar Azam continue at No.4, as was the case in the series opener, where Babar scored 24 off 20 balls. Opener Saim Ayub starred with the bat, earning Player of the Match honours for his 40 as Pakistan posted 168 for 8 after opting to bat first at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Reflecting on the contest, Ali Agha felt Pakistan had done enough with the bat and excelled with the ball. “We started well, but couldn’t finish the way we wanted. After the first 10 overs, it became challenging as the ball stopped coming onto the bat. Still, I felt 170 was enough because our spin bowling is outstanding,” he said.
Australia, chasing 169, lost six wickets to spin and fell short despite a steady start. Stand-in skipper Travis Head said the defeat was part of the learning curve ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7.
“There are positives, but also things to work on,” Head said. “We have two more games before the World Cup and want to keep improving.”
Pakistan and Australia will meet again in the second T20I of the three-match series as both sides fine-tune their preparations for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
. VAN ARN