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Pakistan skipper Salman Agha wasn’t pleased with a remark that Afghanistan are now the second-best team in Asia after world cricket powerhouse India.
Salman Agha (left) and Rashid Khan (Screengrab)
Are Afghanistan now the second-best T20I team in Asia after India?
A Pakistan journalist drew an interesting reaction from Pakistan T20I captain Salman Agha after suggesting that the Afghans have leapfrogged Men in Green as well as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to become the Indian team’s closest Asian rivals.
Pakistan have been enduring one of their most disappointing runs across formats which includes a first-round exit from the T20 World Cup in the New York last year.
Recently, the side underwent a series of changes in T20I setup, including dropping senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.
While Pakistan is still the more experienced and fancied opponent, Afghanistan’s rise into prominence and qualification to the semifinals of last year’s biannual event has evoked suggestions that they may have surpassed their arch-rivals.
Agha, however, didn’t like the idea and expressed his dismay at it with a dismissive smirk while Hashmi asked his question to Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan in a joint press conference held on Thursday, August 28, ahead of the UAE T20I Tri-Series.
The idea of not even being the third-best team in Asia bemused the Pakistan captain as well as the team’s passionate followers. But the scribe later clarified that he based his judgment on the two teams’ contrasting results at the T20 World Cup 2024.
Afghanistan defeated New Zealand, Australia and Bangladesh in a spirited campaign to qualify for the top 4, whereas Pakistan suffered a painstaking defeat at the hands of co-host USA and were bettered by eventual champions India to exit the competition in the group stage itself.
Agha’s men will be hoping to revive their fortunes and make a strong statement in the tri-series, which follows the marquee Asia Cup starting September 9.
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
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