Salman Ali Agha hopes Pakistan top-order turns up in tri-series final, seeks ‘perfect game’

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>Pakistan batter Salman Ali Agha believes the the side have not yet displayed a complete team performance in the ongoing One-day International tri-nation series, and hopes the final against Sri Lanka in Lahore on Saturday is where it falls into place.</p> <p>The hosts’ top-order has been notably starved of runs for the series, underscoring Pakistan’s underwhelming campaign with the bat.</p> <p>“Sometimes all of your players don’t score runs. Our top order isn’t scoring runs at the moment, like they used to,” Salman said during a press conference on the eve of the match, adding that they have been key performing players for the team over the last few years.</p> <p>“They haven’t performed like that in this series, but tomorrow is the final and we hope that they will.”</p> <p>He added that Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, despite their current lean patch, have been Pakistan’s best players in ODI cricket over the last decade and that the duo were “second to none.”</p> <p>“They know themselves what they need to do and what they need to work on,” Salman said. He added that Fakhar had almost always come good in knock-outs and high-stakes matches like tomorrow’s final, and was “hoping he will go big.”</p> <p>Salman added that the team always discusses how to put up totals of more than 3oo, and that they needed to focus on converting innings of 50 or 6o runs to big hundreds to help them post the scores they were looking for.</p> <p>The fragility of Pakistan’s top order is just one of the factors that have gone into the slightly unconvincing cricket the side has played in this series, even in the matches they have won.</p> <p>Salman said that head coach Mike Hesson always emphasised playing the “perfect game”, where a team aces all of batting, bowling and fielding.</p> <p>He admitted that Pakistan are yet to play one of those matches so far, with performances being punctuated with batting collapses, patches of underwhelming bowling, and “lapses” in the field.</p> <p>He added that the win against England last Sunday, which was brought about on the back of a sensational 10th-wicket partnership between Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf, was one they “should have won much more easily.”</p> <p>The 32-year-old added that the contributions from the young players Arafat Minhas, Hassan Nawaz and Saad Baig have been key in Pakistan’s wins, calling them “amazing and very talented players” who are the “future of Pakistan.”</p> <p>When asked about what the team will seek to do to offset Sri Lanka’s incredibly strong record at Gaddafi Stadium, he said: “More than stats, it is how you play on the day that decides who will win.”</p> <p>“Whichever team plays well will win.”</p> <p>Pakistan have been under considerable scrutiny for the elements that have been lacking this series.</p> <p>However, Salman does not believe those are for a lack of trying or seriousness, especially in response to criticism about him being too relaxed.</p> <p>“I am playing for Pakistan, how is it possible that I will not be serious about it? I am part of the eleven people representing a population of 25 crore.”</p> <p>“I made my debut at the age of 28 or 29, and I played domestic cricket for 10 years. I know how I have reached to this stage, and to reach this point and not take it seriously is beyond me.</p> <p>“Yes, you can say that my shot selection in the last three games has not been what it should be, and I admit that and I am working on it.”</p> <p>When asked about how much rope out-of-form players should be given in the side, he said a “decent amount of games” that would give them a chance to “overcome” periods of failure is crucial.</p> <p>“To make runs in international cricket and be consistently successful is not an easy thing to do,” he said, adding that settling into it took time and youngsters brought into the side should be given ample opportunity.</p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.