Salman Ali Agha Captaincy Under Review as PCB Officials Remain Divided

Salman Ali Agha’s role as the captain of Pakistan’s T20 cricket team has reportedly become a hot topic within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). According to senior sports journalist Saleem Khaliq, discussions inside the PCB are growing tense, with officials split into two groups — one supporting Agha’s continued leadership and the other calling for a new captain to take charge. This internal divide shows how uncertain the board has become about the future direction of Pakistan’s T20 team.

The debate began mainly because of Agha’s own poor form and the team’s inconsistent performances on the field. The 2025 Asia Cup became a turning point in this ongoing debate. While Pakistan managed to reach the final, critics within the PCB were still not satisfied with the overall progress of the team. Salman Ali Agha’s individual performance added to the concerns — he scored only 72 runs in seven matches, averaging just 12.00 with a strike rate of 80.89. These underwhelming numbers raised serious questions not only about his leadership skills but also about whether he deserves a spot in the playing XI.

Under Agha’s captaincy, Pakistan has played 30 T20 International matches, winning 17 of them — a win percentage of 56.67%. While this record might seem decent, repeated defeats to India have exposed Pakistan’s weaknesses against stronger teams. Many cricket experts believe this ongoing struggle against top sides has intensified the debate about whether Agha is the right man to lead Pakistan forward.

Despite the criticism, head coach Mike Hesson and the PCB selection committee are still standing firmly behind Salman Ali Agha. During a recent internal review meeting, the selectors defended their captain, comparing his performance to India’s T20 skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who also scored 72 runs in the Asia Cup. Hesson reportedly stressed that changing captains too frequently could harm the team’s stability, especially with the 2026 T20 World Cup fast approaching, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. According to him, consistency in leadership is key to building a confident and united squad.

Even so, not everyone within the PCB agrees. Some officials have suggested bringing back Shaheen Afridi as captain, but sources say the selectors and coaching staff are hesitant to reappoint him due to previous leadership challenges. The ongoing discussions have delayed the announcement of the T20 squad for the upcoming South Africa series, which has only fueled further speculation about the captaincy situation.

For now, Salman Ali Agha continues to have the backing of coach Mike Hesson and the national selectors. However, insiders believe that the board will be watching Pakistan’s upcoming series very closely. Any further decline in team performance could place Agha’s captaincy under even greater scrutiny. The coming months may prove to be the most critical phase of his leadership career — one that could either strengthen his position or bring an end to his tenure as Pakistan’s T20 captain.

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