Salman Ali Agha confident of reaching PSL 10 final despite loss to Gladiators

LAHORE:  Islamabad United’s all-rounder Salman Ali Agha remains hopeful about his team’s chances of making it to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 final, despite a setback in the qualifier.

Set to chase a daunting target of 210 runs, United were bowled out for 179 in 19.4 overs. The 30-run victory marked Quetta’s sixth consecutive win, earning them a spot in their first PSL final in six years.

The defending champions will now play in Qualifier 2 against the winners of the eliminator set to be played between arch-rivals  Lahore Qalandars and Karachi today.

Usman Tariq shone with a three-wicket haul while Faheem Ashraf’s all-around brilliance stole the show, earning him the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

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Speaking at the post-match press conference, Salman Ali Agha stressed the importance of regrouping and delivering in the upcoming Qualifier 2.

“Whoever we face, we’ll try our best to win the match,” he said.

While addressing the question regarding improvement in the bowling, Salman admitted that this remains an area of concern.

“We still have a chance to reach the final if we win our next match. There’s room for growth in our bowling, especially death bowling and we have to address that very quickly,” he added.

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He emphasised the importance of momentum in T20 cricket, stating that it is vital for winning the matches.

“I think T20 is all about momentum — if you have it, things work in your favour. We have to try to do well in all aspects of the game and play well for winning the match,” Salman said.

Speaking about the team environment, he praised head coach Mike Hesson while lauding his global experience.

“Mike Hesson is a very good coach. He’s created a positive environment within the squad,” Salman Ali Agha added.

Reflecting on the match, Salman lamented poor bowling in the last phase of the innings while mentioning the early wickets.

“I think the Wicket was good and they [Quetta] scored an extra 10 to 20 runs. We gave away too many runs in the death overs and lost wickets early in the last part of the innings — that’s where the match slipped from our hands,” Salman Ali Agha concluded.

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed credits team effort for PSL 10 final berth