Tag: Salman Ali Agha

LAHORE: All-rounder Salman Ali Agha on Tuesday, heaped praise on England’s brand of cricket and revealed that they have been directed to follow it.

While speaking at a press conference here, Salman Ali Agha commented on the team’s preparations for the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka and the conditions on offer in the country.

“We will try to perform regardless of what the conditions would be in Sri Lanka,” said Agha.

The all-rounder also shared that the national men’s team’s director Mickey Arthur has shared the plan with the players before coming up with a major revelation that the team management had directed the team to follow England’s brand of cricket.

“Mickey Arthur has shared the plan with the players,” said Agha. “England is playing very good cricket, we have been asked to play the same brand of cricket.

“Brand of cricket means positive cricket and a will to play it according to match scenarios,” he explained.

Salman Ali Agha, who bats in the lower middle order often spends most of his time on the crease with tailenders.

Despite the challenge, Agha enjoys a decent batting record for Pakistan in the longer formats.

He acknowledged it as a challenge but asserted that he’s been used to it since his time in domestic cricket.

“I played with tailenders in domestic cricket too and now I have to play with them in international cricket as well,” said Agha.

“It exerts pressure but I always try to perform well,” he concluded.

Salman Ali Agha’s international career with Pakistan is on the rise, the 29-year-old all-rounder has thus far represented the green shirts in seven Tests and 11 ODIs.

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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan all-rounder commented on his side’s approach towards the ongoing Rawalpindi Test after England captain Ben Stokes’s brave decision of declaring the second innings set the hosts a 343-run target.

Agha, while talking at the post-match press conference following the conclusion of an eventful fourth day of the first Test as Pakistan need a further 263 runs on the final day and shared that the team’s top priority would be to save the match but also asserted that the home side’s camp is eyeing to win.

“Top priority is to save the match. We are very excited to bat and if found the opportunity I will try my best to win it for my team,” Agha shared.

“Everyone in the camp is discussing winning this match but we must give credit to England for the way they played,” he added.

In a query regarding his style of play and the instructions from the team’s management, the all-rounder shared that he has been given the liberty to play in his comfort zone.

It is pertinent to mention that the fiery England side turned the dull Rawalpindi Test into an enthralling contest as they put Pakistan to bat again on the same day and took wickets to put the home team under pressure.

Pakistan, however, are perfectly positioned to win the first Test as they require 263 runs on the final day to take a lead in the three-match series.

READ: Imam, Saud lead Pakistan chase after England brave declare 

ROTTERDAM: Pakistan’s young middle-order batter Salman Ali Agha revealed that wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan guided him during the match-winning partnership against the Netherlands in the second ODI.

Salman, who scored a magnificent half-century in his second ODI, credited wicket-keeper batter Rizwan for offering the guidance to build up his astonishing knock.

“Definitely he’s our senior player and one of the best players of Pakistan across all the formats. So, he was guiding me a lot like how to play, how to tackle some specific deliveries. So, his guidance helped me a lot,” Salman stated.

The right-handed batter while responding to a question regarding his plan regarding whether he will be targeting to score a century or a half-century, asserted that the team’s requirement would be the topmost priority for him.

“Thrive would be to play as I played in this match, according to the team’s demand. There is no doubt that a player has his individual milestone in his mind but the team is the top most priority,” Salman shared.

Salman then went on to comment on the conditions of the Netherlands and shared that the wicket is quite slow and offers a spongy bounce which make it difficult for a batter to hit the ball.

“The wicket is here is on a slower side and offers a spongy bounce. So, if a bowler bowls a length delivery, so it sponge bounces making it difficult to hit the ball. But, I tried to take on the challenge with a positive mindset and play my shots and thanks to Almighty it paid off,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention here that Salman scored his first fifty in ODI cricket in his second match, put on a match-winning 92-run partnership with Rizwan and propelled Pakistan to seal a resounding seven-wicket victory over the Netherlands and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

READ: Pakistan crush Netherlands in second ODI to claim series victory 

GALLE: All-rounder Salman Ali Agha is set to make his debut for Pakistan on Saturday as the Green Shirts unveiled their Playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Following his incredible run in the last three seasons of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the all-rounder was initially named in the national team’s 18-member squad for the Test series.

The right-handed batter scored 1,629 runs at a remarkable average of 56.19 in 18 first-class matches since the 2019-2020 season. During this specific period, Agha smashed five centuries and eight half-centuries, while claiming 25 wickets with the ball.

Here's our XI for the first #SLvPAK Test tomorrow! #BackTheBoysInGreen 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/VOgFH247N6

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 15, 2022

 

Leg spinner Yasir Shah and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz will make their return to the Test side for the first encounter of the two-match series.

Yasir, who aided Pakistan’s 2-1 series victory over Sri Lanka with his player of the series performance, will play his first Test since August 2021 after overcoming a thumb injury.

Nawaz, on the other hand, will make his return to the Test side after nearly a six-year gap, having played his last red-ball match in November 2106.

Pakistan’s XI: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc, wk), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi and Yasir Shah

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