Asia Cup 2025: Misbah Surprised by Agha Salman’s Post-Match Comments

Former Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq has expressed surprise over the comments made by current skipper Agha Salman after Pakistan’s final group-stage match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan’s Last Group Game Drama

The match itself came after hours of uncertainty, with reports suggesting Pakistan might even skip the fixture due to off-field tensions. However, the team eventually took the field and put up a strong performance. Pakistan defeated the UAE by 41 runs, a result that confirmed their place in the Super Four stage of the eight-team tournament.

How the Match Unfolded

Batting first, Pakistan scored 146 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was anchored by Fakhar Zaman, who played a solid knock and registered a well-made half-century. His dismissal in the 14th over, however, sparked a collapse. By the 17th over, Pakistan were in deep trouble at 110/7.

At that stage, Shaheen Shah Afridi stepped up with the bat. Known primarily for his bowling, Shaheen played a crucial cameo, smashing an unbeaten 29 off just 14 balls, which included three boundaries and two sixes. His late assault gave Pakistan a fighting total that the bowlers later defended successfully.

Agha Salman’s Post-Match Thoughts

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Agha Salman acknowledged that while the team got the win, the batting still looked shaky, especially in the middle overs.

“We got the job done but we still need to improve our batting in the middle order. That’s been a concern and something we need to work on,” Agha said.

He further added that Pakistan has yet to display their best batting performance in the tournament:

“We haven’t batted at our best yet… right now we’re just managing to reach around 150. If we improve in the middle overs, we can easily push the total to 170 against any team.”

Misbah’s Strong Reaction

However, Misbah-ul-Haq did not agree with Agha’s analysis. In a recent interview with a local sports channel, Misbah said that Pakistan’s problems with the bat do not start in the middle overs, but much earlier.

“I found it very surprising that Agha said our issue is in the middle overs. In reality, the problem begins at the start. Almost every time, we lose our first two wickets quickly, and the team is under pressure right away,” Misbah explained.

The former captain also pointed out the importance of handling the powerplay carefully in T20 cricket:

“If you’re already two wickets down within the first few overs, your innings goes nowhere. In these conditions, once spinners come on and the field spreads, batting becomes tougher. So, the main focus should be on ensuring a solid start.”

Looking Ahead – The Big Clash

With the win against UAE, Pakistan have booked their place in the Super Four stage, where they will lock horns with arch-rivals India on Sunday at the same venue. The Pakistan vs India clash is always the highlight of any Asia Cup or ICC event, and this match is expected to draw massive global attention.

For Pakistan, it will be a chance to settle their batting concerns and put on a complete performance against their biggest rivals. The management and coaching staff will be under pressure to address the early batting collapses highlighted by Misbah.

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