Pakistan captain Salman Agha admitted that his team “underperformed” throughout the tournament after their narrow victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo resulted in elimination from the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan needed a 65-run win over Sri Lanka to advance to the semi-finals, requiring the hosts to be restricted to 147 runs or fewer after scoring 212. However, Sri Lanka’s captain Dasun Shanaka nearly turned the game around with a late onslaught, but Pakistan held on for a five-run win.
In the post-match press conference, Agha summarized the team’s performance: “If you look at the whole tournament and I had to sum it up, we underperformed. Our middle order never performed, and we over-relied on Sahibzada [Farhan] for our runs.”
The tournament’s batting struggles were exemplified in Saturday’s game, where Sahibzada Farhan’s century—breaking Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in a single T20 World Cup—was not supported by other batters. Pakistan’s next highest scorer was Shadab Khan with 118 runs across six innings.
In Pallekele, despite opening partnerships of 176 between Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan collapsed in the final overs, losing eight wickets for just 34 runs, with no other batter reaching double figures. Agha, who scored a two-ball duck, commented on the challenging pitch conditions, noting it was difficult for new batters to accelerate.
Team selection decisions, especially the continued inclusion of out-of-form Babar Azam in the middle order, drew criticism, despite defense from head coach Mike Hesson and Agha. Additionally, star spinner Abrar Ahmed, who was dropped after a poor outing against India, was later praised for his performance of 3 wickets for 23 runs.
Agha emphasized that the team and coaching staff take responsibility for the outcome: “We look at conditions and the situation before selecting our XI. I take responsibility, as does the coach. We need to improve decision-making under pressure.”
Regarding his personal form, Agha—who completed his 50th match as T20I captain—said he would not rush into emotional decisions about his future. His own tournament was disappointing, scoring just 60 runs in six innings, with a high of 38 against Namibia. He reflected on playing at No. 3, a role he had performed well in bilateral series but struggled to replicate in the tournament.
He praised Fakhar Zaman’s aggressive batting to utilize powerplay opportunities and acknowledged the team’s strategic planning, but also credited Sri Lanka’s resilience. “We knew what we needed to defend, but Dasun and Rathanayake batted brilliantly,” he said.
Pakistan’s downfall was also attributed to poor execution in the death overs, conceding 100 runs in the last seven balls, including 40 in the final two overs. Agha lamented the missed opportunities: “Our bowling execution was not good in the final overs, and that cost us.”
This marks Pakistan’s fourth consecutive ICC men’s tournament exit before the semi-finals. Agha concluded by stressing the importance of better decision-making in high-pressure moments: “When the pressure is on, how we improve our decision-making matters. That’s the key to better results.”
