Pakistan captain Salman Agha (L), Usman Khan and coach Mike Hesson in Colombo. (PTI photo) When Pakistan look back at the T20 World Cup in 2026, it will be remembered as the one that got away. They had a lot going for them – staying in Sri Lanka, playing matches on surfaces of their choice, winning important tosses – but they failed to deliver what was expected of them: consistency. The result sees Salman Ali Agha’s team out of the competition ahead of the semi-finals, ensuring the Sri Lankan leg of this World Cup is over on Saturday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Admittedly, when India beat separately, they weren’t exactly shambolic. New Zealand’s thrashing and Harry Brook’s classic played a big part in their failure to reach the semi-finals, but then the World Cup will be decided by fine margins.
T20 World Cup: Salman Ali Agha press conference after PAK vs SL
There has already been talk of Aghya resigning as captain, with the right-hander saying in Saturday’s post-match press conference that “such decisions should not be emotional”. “We will come back and take some time and then take the required decision,” Agha said.But he cannot deny that there have been serious lapses in decision-making that have hurt Pakistan in this World Cup. While in the India game their decision to win the toss and field Premadas was suicidal, not throwing in the second finger spinner immediately after Abhishek Sharma’s dismissal in the first match was equally bad. But these decisions only cost Pakistan pride as they managed to make it to the Super 8s.But there have been enough hints in the first four matches that Babar Azam looks miserable at No.4. Still, the Pakistan team management decided to stick with him and it was his slow batting in the England game that was one of the reasons for the defeat. In that match, Babar managed a 24-ball 25 and failed to accelerate. Pakistan’s 164-9 was removed by Brook’s century.However, Agha struggled to defend the senior batsman who was eventually run out in the Sri Lanka game. “Babar had a different role in this World Cup. He was No. 4 and we needed a batsman who could be in the middle order and give us stability and save us from collapsing,” argued the skipper.It took the decision-makers – coach Mike Hesson and captain Agha – the entire tournament to decide that Fakhar Zaman was best suited as an opener. The left-handed batsman finally got a chance against Sri Lanka at the top of the order, where he smashed a 42-ball 84 that gave the team some hope.“We make the playing eleven based on the conditions and situations. The captain and the coach make the eleven together. We had to win this match in 13 overs or win by 65 runs and play accordingly. As for Fakhar, he didn’t come into the tournament with good form but yes, right now you can say he should have played the first four matches,” Agha said.According to the captain, it is the team’s inability to take the right decisions in crunch moments that has hurt them in the ICC tournaments. “Whenever there is pressure, our decision-making is not as good as it should be. When you come to the World Cup or the ICC, there is always pressure,” Agha said bluntly.Quite possibly, it was a dig at the way Shaheen Afridi, the leading paceman, often let his team down at crucial moments, bowling the wrong length. It almost cost them the match on Saturday as well, when he conceded 22 in an effort to defend 28 off the last over.Amidst the doom and gloom, the introduction of Farhan with the batman and occultist Usman Tariq should come as a breath of fresh air.
REASONS FOR EARLY RELEASING PAKISTAN
- A batting line-up too dependent on Sahibzada Farhan and stuck in the past.
- Former captain Babar Azam struggled at a strike rate of just 112.34
- The middle order repeatedly collapsed in high-pressure games.
- They made tactical mistakes against big teams like India where they chose to field a spin-friendly pitch and introduced Usman Tariq late.
- The death bowling was also poor Against England, Pakistan failed to defend 165, allowing Harry Brook to smash a century. Even in the final win against Sri Lanka, Shaheen Afridi conceded 4, 6, 6, 6 in the final and almost lost a match in which he dominated.
