Pakistan squad has right mix of players to play aggressive cricket: Salman Agha

DHAKA: Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has said that their squad for the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh is comprised of players capable of playing an aggressive brand of cricket.

Agha, while addressing the pre-series press conference here on Saturday, expressed confidence in his team's ability to deliver a strong performance in the upcoming series, scheduled to get underway on Sunday.

He termed the series a challenging one but hoped for a positive outcome, noting that the players are under no pressure and will play aggressive cricket.

He acknowledged the strength of the Bangladesh side, saying: "They are a competitive team and give tough challenges to their opponents at home and abroad, but we are also ready to play aggressive cricket."

Agha added that having participated in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he and several other players have a good understanding of the local conditions.

He noted that the team had also trained accordingly during their preparatory camp in Karachi, with pitches made to simulate the conditions in Dhaka.

"Understanding the conditions is key. We have prepared to adapt our game according to the pitch and match situations. Our experience from playing in the BPL gives us an edge here," he said.

The captain also praised senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, calling them world-class cricketers who have consistently performed for Pakistan.

He emphasised that the current squad has the right mix of players to play attacking T20 cricket.

"Babar and Rizwan are world-class. They've served Pakistan incredibly well. T20 cricket is evolving every six months, every year.

"We have players in the squad who match the style of cricket we want to play. There's no pressure, our focus is solely on playing good cricket in this series," he concluded.

Agha has been leading the shortest format’s side with star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan out since last year.

Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi has been rested for the three-match series, with seam bowlers Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim unavailable due to injuries.

Agha said the missing players could still be considered for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year.

"We have changed the way we want to play but we are confident of our build-up and direction," said Agha.

"We are going for this series with ample preparations as Bangladesh can be a challenging team in their home conditions."

For the unversed, the trophy for the three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh was unveiled in a ceremony held at a local hotel in Dhaka on Saturday.

Captains from both sides, Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha and Bangladesh’s Liton Das, participated in a photo shoot with the trophy.

The green shirts will play three T20Is against Bangladesh on July 20, 22 and 24, with Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium set to host all the matches.

The series marks a rematch between the two sides after their last encounter in May, where Pakistan sealed a 3-0 clean sweep at home.

Pakistan squad

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim.

Series schedule

• 16 July – Pakistan men's team arrival
• 20 July – First T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)
• 22 July – Second T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)
• 24 July – Third T20I at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (6pm local time)

With additional input from AFP