Babar Azam buried by Salman Ali Agha: ‘I’ll bat at No.3 because I can dominate’

Pakistan have finalized their batting order for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, with skipper Salman Ali Agha confirming that he will bat at No. 3 during the tournament. Salman stated that the move is part of a planned strategy, keeping the team’s overall balance and approach in mind for the upcoming World Cup.

The Pakistan skipper has batted lower in most of his T20I career, but he recently moved up the order to No. 3 during the T20I series against Sri Lanka. With Babar unavailable due to his Big Bash League commitments, the right-handed batter smashed 45 from just 12 balls, including three sixes and five fours.

I’ll Be Batting at Number Three - Salman Ali Agha Takes Babar Azam’s Place

The hosts lost Sahibzada Farhan for a duck on the second ball of the innings in the first T20I against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, January 29. Salman Ali Agha scored 39 runs from 27 balls, including four sixes and one boundary, helping Pakistan recover from the early setback.

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The skipper confirmed that he will continue batting at No. 3 on a permanent basis. Salman stated that Sri Lanka conditions are expected to assist spin and added that he can attack spinners early in the innings.

“Yes, I’ll be batting at number three. We expect to face a lot of spin, and I believe I can dominate spin during the powerplay. That’s why I moved up, and that is where I’ll stay,” he stated.

We Started Well With the Bat but Couldn’t Finish - Salman Ali Agha

Salman Ali Agha praised his team’s all-round effort after a 22-run victory over Australia. He said that Pakistan made a solid start with the bat but fell short of the finish they had planned. Agha added that batting became tougher after the first ten overs as conditions changed and the ball slowed on the surface.

“It was a great game. We started well with the bat but couldn’t finish the way we wanted. It became challenging after the first ten overs as the ball stopped coming onto the bat, but I think we were outstanding with the ball,” he added.

We Probably Could Have Scored 15 More - Salman Ali Agha

Pakistan finished on 168 at the end of 20 overs after Australia pulled things back. Agha said that Pakistan could have added around 15 more runs based on their position after ten overs. The skipper also praised the team’s spinners, especially Abrar Ahmed for their performance.

“To be honest, I felt 170 was enough. Given how we were placed after ten overs, we probably could have scored 15 more, but I knew 170 would be plenty on this pitch because our spin bowling is outstanding,” Agha said.

“Abrar has been outstanding since his debut. Since the Asia Cup, our spin bowling has been doing really well for us; they are winning us games day in and day out. Hopefully, they can continue this form through to the World Cup,” he concluded.

Also read: Salman Ali Agha admits HATING Babar Azam questions at pressers as Mitchell Marsh drops shocking praise