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Pakistan’s T20I captain and Islamabad United all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has opened up about his long-standing friendship with star batter Babar Azam, a bond that goes back to their school cricket days.
In a candid conversation with a local sports outlet, Salman shared that his journey with Babar started well before the spotlight.
“Babar Azam and I used to play cricket together at the school level. He played for Muslim Model School and I used to represent Central Model School,” he said.
“Our teams used to play matches against each other, and that’s where our friendship began.”
From competing in inter-school matches to sharing the same dressing room for Pakistan, the duo has grown together in cricket.
“Later on, we played together in the Under-16 and Under-19. I’ve known Babar for a long time,” Salman Ali Agha added.
The 31-year-old also talked about his strong off-field equation with several national teammates, adding that many of them share a genuine friendship beyond cricket.
“I’m also friends with Shadab Khan, Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, and Saim Ayub. We often go out to eat together,” he revealed.
Salman Ali Agha also praised Shadab for his captaincy, calling him one of the finest leaders in the Pakistan Super League.
“In the last five to six years, Shadab Khan has captained Islamabad United in a magnificent way. If you look at his record, it is quite impressive,” he said.
He credited Shadab’s ability to stay calm and make key calls during crunch situations.
“He makes effective decisions during pressure situations, which benefit the team,” Salman noted. “Right now, in PSL, he is one of Pakistan’s best captains.”
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