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Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has expressed surprise over the post-match remarks of national T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha following victory against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the ACC Asia Cup 2025.
After hours of uncertainty over whether the game would go ahead, Pakistan eventually took the field for their final group-stage clash and secured a commanding 41-run win to book their place in the Super Four.
Batting first, Pakistan managed 146-9 in 20 overs, courtesy of Fakhar Zaman’s half-century and a late rescue act from Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Zaman’s dismissal in the 14th over triggered a collapse, leaving Pakistan reeling at 110-7 in the 17th over.
But Shaheen’s unbeaten 29 off 14 balls, laced with three fours and two sixes, lifted the side to a competitive total, which the bowlers comfortably defended.
While reflecting on the performance, Salman Ali Agha admitted in the post-match presentation that Pakistan’s batting remains a work in progress, particularly in the middle overs.
“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,” Agha said.
“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.”
However, Misbah-ul-Haq offered a contrasting view, pointing out that Pakistan’s struggles often start right at the top rather than in the middle phase of the innings.
“It was very surprising to hear Agha say the problem lies in the middle overs. For me, our issues begin from the start,” Misbah said in an interview with a local sports platform.
“Almost every game we lose our first two wickets early, so we’re effectively two down before the innings even settles.”
He further explained that this early collapse leaves Pakistan exposed once spinners come into the attack.
“In these conditions, once the circle opens up and spinners operate, scoring becomes tricky. If you’re already 0–2, then you’re going nowhere,” he added.
Pakistan, having sealed their spot in the Super Four, will now meet arch-rivals India in a high-voltage Asia Cup encounter on Sunday at the same venue.
