'Ready for any challenge': Pakistan captain ahead of India clash
What's the story
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. Agha emphasized the importance of improving their batting performance, especially in the middle overs, to put up a strong fight against India.
Performance review
Batting woes for Pakistan
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 Agha has also struggled in the middle order.
Captain's statement
Agha calls for better batting in middle overs
Despite the batting struggles, Agha is confident that his team can overcome any challenge if they continue to play well. He said, "Yeah, we're ready for any challenge. We just want to play good cricket, and if we play good cricket like we've been playing for the last few months." The captain also stressed on the need to bat better in middle overs as that's been a concern for a few games now.
Ongoing tensions
No-handshake controversy
The upcoming match between India and Pakistan is likely to be even more intense given the recent events in the aftermath of the no-handshake controversy. Their last group-stage meeting was marred by the boycott calls owing to the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year. India had beaten Pakistan by seven wickets then and refused to shake hands post-match, leading to further tensions between both teams.