Salman Ali Agha (Photo AFP) NEW DELHI: Pakistan T20 captain Salman Ali Agha is considering taking a break from the shortest format to better prepare for next year’s ODI World Cup and the upcoming World Test Championship cycle. Having played 23 Tests, 50 ODIs and 52 T20Is, he has made it clear that the 50-over World Cup is his top priority.“The World Cup is a long way, but yes, one has to think about how to manage one’s schedule and workload. If I feel it (the break) can help me prepare for the World Cup and Tests, I will do it,” Salman told reporters.
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What Ryan Cook said after LSG tasted yet another defeat The ODI World Cup will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October-November next year. Australia enter the tournament as the defending champions after defeating India in the 2023 final.Salman’s recent T20I form with the bat has also come under scrutiny. Despite captaining Pakistan in the format last year, he has struggled for consistency. Batting at number three in the T20 World Cup, he fell short as Pakistan missed out on a place in the semi-finals.Speaking about the Pakistan Super League, Salman emphasized its value in scouting young talent, but warned against rushing players straight into the national side.“Rather, I would like to see a process where we identify strong young talents in the PSL and send them to play domestic cricket and then evaluate their performances and decide whether they are ready for international cricket,” he added.He also pointed out that several players have been selected for international cricket in the past purely on the basis of their performances in the PSL but could not succeed at the highest level.
