Pakistan Captain Salman Ali Agha asserted on Saturday that his team is prepared to rise to the occasion and deliver their top performance against arch-rivals India in the high-stakes final of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday).
Addressing a pre-match press conference in Dubai, the Pakistan captain acknowledged the immense pressure that accompanies any India-Pakistan match. “The amount of pressure on both teams will be the same. We will try to give our best and win the final,” he stated.
Agha dismissed the relevance of the Indian media’s reaction to the rivals’ encounters in the ongoing tournament. “We have nothing to do with what their media say. They can say whatever they want,” the captain remarked.
When asked about the team’s losses in the previous two games against India, the skipper attributed the defeats to his side’s own mistakes. “We have not won games because we made more mistakes. Whichever team makes fewer mistakes will win the game,” he added.
Agha expressed confidence that the batting lineup, which has struggled throughout the tournament, will stage a recovery in the final. “We do have an idea that we could not bat well in the tournament. Maybe we kept our best for the final,” he suggested.
Regarding reports that the Pakistani and Indian captains might skip the customary pre-final trophy photo, Agha clarified his team’s position: “They can do whatever they want. We will follow the protocol. The rest is up to them, if they want to come or not.”
Agha also addressed concerns over his individual performance, specifically his strike rate, throughout the competition. “I do have an idea that my performance has not been up to the mark. I am working to improve on it. Strike-rate is important in T20s; however, you have to see what the team demands at a particular time and situation,” he added.
