Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has suggested that he might take a break from the shortest format of the game. The veteran all-rounder has shifted his primary focus to the ICC ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, suggesting that he is considering taking a step back from T20Is to manage his workload effectively.
With the next Under-50 World Cup to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia at the end of 2027, Salman remains clear that this tournament is the most significant milestone on his agenda.
“The World Cup is a long way, but one has to think about how to manage one’s schedule and workload,” Salman told reporters, as quoted by PTI.
“If I feel that a break from T20s can help me prepare for the World Cup and Tests, I will definitely do it.”
Salman Agha has been in charge of the T20I team for over a year, but his tenure is coming under increasing scrutiny. His performance in the ongoing Pakistan Super League has been lackluster, scoring just 84 runs in eight matches, breaking the 20-run mark just once. In the T20 World Cup, Salman managed just 60 runs in seven matches and failed to cement his position at the No.3 position after performing well against Australia at home before the tournament. Pakistan’s failure to reach the semi-finals of the tournament despite playing all the matches in Sri Lanka further strengthened the grip on his captaincy.
In contrast, his form in the longer white ball format remains impressive. During last year’s ODI series in Bangladesh, Salman was a standout performer for the visitors, posting scores of 106, 64 and 5. This disparity in performance seems to have reinforced his decision to favor formats where his technical game excels.
PSL REASON FOR CHOICE?
Meanwhile, Salman Agha criticized Pakistan’s current selection trends, especially the practice of fast-tracking players based solely on Pakistan Super League (PSL) performances. While acknowledging the league as an essential platform for scouting, he cautioned against bypassing the traditional home grind. “I would rather see a process where we identify strong young talent in the PSL and send them to play domestic cricket,” Salman explained. “Then we should review their performances there and decide if they are ready for international cricket.”
He noted that history is full of examples of players who were selected straight from the PSL but ultimately failed to adapt to the rigors of international cricket. By pushing a more robust developmental bridge, Salman hopes to create a more sustainable pipeline of talent capable of withstanding the pressures at the highest level.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
17 Apr 2026 18:54 IST
