Advertisement
Advertisement
Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has named four players that he believes could be the backbone of the national team in the years to come.
Speaking during a special Eid transmission on a local news channel, the all-rounder was asked to name individuals he sees as central to Pakistan cricket’s progress over the next five years.
In response, he named Hasan Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, and Sahibzada Farhan as the ones to watch.
“I believe there are four players around whom the future of Pakistan cricket will revolve, Hasan Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, and Sahibzada Farhan,” Salman said.
“These four, in my opinion, are capable of winning matches for Pakistan going forward.”
The remarks come at a time when Pakistan cricket is going through a transitional phase, with the spotlight increasingly on young talent emerging from domestic circuits and franchise leagues.
Under Salman’s leadership, Pakistan recently whitewashed Bangladesh 3-0 in a home ODI series played in Lahore.
Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Haris, in particular, were among the standout performers, carrying forward their aggressive form from the recently concluded PSL 10.
Salman Ali Agha also reflected on his cricketing inspirations, naming former batting great Mohammad Yousuf as his idol.
“I used to like Mohammad Yousuf’s batting a lot. I followed him closely. Even now, if I’m stuck somewhere, I go to YouTube and watch his videos,” he shared, adding that on the international stage, he admired former Australian captain Michael Clarke.
He also addressed speculation about team dynamics, asserting that minor disagreements between players are natural but shouldn’t be misunderstood.
“There is nothing personal between cricketers. When people spend time together, differences are natural — whether it’s within a household or a team. There’s no politics involved,” he clarified.
“We spend 10–11 months of the year together, so small differences are bound to happen.”
READ: Lahore Qalandars star player lodges racial abuse complaint against coach
