Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, has said that his team is ready to face India in their upcoming Super Four Asia Cup match on September 21. The statement comes after a recent victory over the UAE and amid ongoing tensions between the two cricketing nations. Salman Ali Agha emphasized the importance of improving their batting performance, especially in the middle overs, to put up a strong fight against India.
Pakistan’s recent match against the UAE saw them post a modest total of 146/9, thanks to a late surge from Shaheen Afridi. The team’s batting woes have been evident in the tournament, with several players failing to make an impact. Opening batter Saim Ayub is yet to score in three matches, while captain Salman Ali Agha has also struggled in the middle order.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has called on his team to sharpen their batting in the middle overs as they gear up for a high-stakes Asia Cup Super Four clash against India on September 21. Salman Ali Agha comments came after Pakistan’s 41-run victory over the UAE, a result that sealed their place in the next stage of the tournament but did little to hide the batting frailties that continue to dog the side.
We will be good against any side- Salman Ali Agha
India captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with Salman Ali Agha at the toss. The Indian team had decided to play against Pakistan with a businesslike attitude and did not engage in handshakes with their opponents before and after the match. This triggered a series of chain reactions.
Pakistan lodged an official complaint against India’s ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour’ and they even went on to demand the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the remainder of the tournament, accusing the former Zimbabwe cricketer of misconduct during the toss. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s stance of not turning up for the match against UAE unless Pycroft is removed delayed the must-win game by an hour before it finally began after PCB claimed Pycroft ‘apologised to them’.
India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in a heavily one-sided contest and the last few encounters between the two sides have been in their favour across formats.
Pakistan secured their Super Four spot in Asia Cup 2025, defeating UAE after a shaky start. Salman Agha said they are ready for Sunday’s rematch with India.Pakistan reached the finishing line but not before they stuttered and gave a scare to their fans, which, to be honest, is not exactly a feeling entirely alien to them in a big tournament.
It was far from being a complete performance, but it was a much-improved one than their outing against India a couple of nights ago, and was enough to beat the UAE and take them to the Super Four stage of Asia Cup 2025. After being reduced to 93 for 6 in 15.1 overs, another Shaheen Afridi cameo (29* off 14) took Pakistan to a respectable total of 146 for 9, which they defended successfully by bowling UAE out for 105 in 17.5 overs.
When Salman Ali Agha was asked about the prospect of facing the same Indian side that refused to shake hands with them during the group stage match, the Pakistan captain said they are ready for the challenge.
“We’re ready for any challenge and if we keep playing the way we have over the last four months, we’ll be good against any side,” Salman Ali Agha said in the post-match presentation.
Fakhar Zaman scored 50 off 36 balls and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi added a brisk 29 not out as Pakistan made a modest 146-9 after being put in to bat. Spinner Abrar Ahmed led Pakistan’s bowling charge with 2-13 as the UAE were dismissed for 105 in 17.4 overs. Shaheen took 2-16 and fellow paceman Haris Rauf 2-19. Rahul Chopra top-scored for the UAE with a run-a-ball 35. Salman Ali Agha agreed that Pakistan needs come up with an improved batting performance in the Super Four stage.
“We got the job done but we still need to improve our batting in the middle order. That’s been a concern and something we need to work on. Apart from that, we did a good job. We haven’t batted at our best yet…we’re still just finding our way to 150.
If we bat well in the middle overs, we can push it to 170 no matter the opposition. Shaheen’s batting has improved a lot–he’s already great with the ball. Saim is someone who has been bringing us back into games and I hope he can continue like this till the end.”
In their first match in the Super Four stage on Sunday, Pakistan will take on, guess who? India, of course, in Dubai. The match is expected to attract more off-the-field drama than any of their previous encounters — that is saying a lot considering their famed rivalry — on the backdrop of what transpired last Sunday during a group stage match.
The looming contest against India is set against a heated backdrop. Their last meeting in the group stage ended in a seven-wicket win for India, but the game was overshadowed by post-match tensions when the Indian team refused to shake hands, an incident linked to wider political strains following the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year.
The so-called “no-handshake controversy” has since fanned the flames of an already intense rivalry, and with both sides now in the Super Four, the stakes are even higher. For Pakistan, a sharper batting display could be the difference between surviving India’s bowling attack and suffering another setback.
That next game is a blockbuster: a Super 4 showdown against defending champions India on September 21. After the off-field noise and the setback in their first meeting, Pakistan will have to put distractions firmly behind them if they are to spark a turnaround.
Asia Cup 2025: Shaheen Afrdi’s Powerful Cameo Sets A Challenging Total Of 147 To UAE