Salman Agha confirms his batting position at 2026 T20 WC
What's the story
Pakistan cricket captain, Salman Ali Agha, has confirmed that he will bat at the No. 3 position in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, starting on February 7. The decision comes as part of a strategy to provide a more aggressive approach for his team. Agha has mostly batted lower down the order in his T20I career, but recently took it upon himself to move up the batting order.
Match review
Agha's performance in the 1st T20I against Australia
In the first T20I of a three-match series against Australia, Agha batted at No. 3 and scored a quickfire 39 runs off 27 balls. His innings helped Pakistan secure an impressive 22-run victory just days before the start of the T20 World Cup. "Yes, I'll be batting at No. 3 (in the future)," Agha told after the match. "We expect to face a lot of spin, and I believe I can dominate spin during the Powerplay."
Team dynamics
Babar Azam's potential new role
Agha's promotion to the No. 3 spot means former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam will likely have to adapt to a new role. In the first T20I against Australia, Azam managed just 24 runs off 20 balls after coming in at No. 4. The changes in batting order are part of Pakistan's strategy for the upcoming T20 World Cup and their current series against Australia.
Stats
How has Agha fared at number three?
Meanwhile, Agha has batted just seven times at three in T20Is, scoring 216 runs at an average of 161.19. What's really impressive is his strike rate of 161.19. The tally includes a solitary fifty. Overall, in T20 cricket, the 32-year-old has scored 753 runs across 34 innings at number three at 24.29 (SR: 127.41). The Pakistan skipper would want to enhance these numbers.
Match analysis
Agha's thoughts on the 1st T20I victory
After Pakistan defended their 168-run total in the first T20I, Agha spoke about the game. He said, "We started well with the bat but couldn't finish the way we wanted." The captain added that it became difficult after 10 overs as "the ball stopped coming onto the bat," but praised his team's bowling performance. "To be honest, I felt 168 was enough," he said.