Will Salman Aga drop Babar?

Before the match, Salman Agha said, ‘We have come here with a 15-member squad and our effort will be to bring the same combination which is best for the team’s victory. If the senior players, be it Fakhar Zaman or Babar Azam, do not fit into the team’s combination, then we will not include them in the playing eleven.

Whatever is right for the team – Agha Salman

Although Aga respected the experience of Babar and Fakhar, he also reiterated that the interest of the team is above individual statistics. He appreciated the past performance of both the legends, but gave priority to the current circumstances. Expressing confidence in the team’s strength and mentality, the captain said, ‘Fakhar and Babar have performed brilliantly for Pakistan over the years and I fully support them, but the decision on the playing eleven will be based entirely on what is right for the team. Our preparation is excellent and we are confident that we can win the World Cup.

The captain of the Pakistani team, who is often involved in controversies, also expressed his displeasure over off-field discussions. He appealed to the media to focus only on the game so as not to distract the team. Talking about the Sri Lankan weather and conditions, he defended spinner Usman Tariq and termed him the team’s ‘X-factor’. Aga said, ‘I don’t understand why there is so much talk about Usman’s action, when it has been cleared twice. He is the X-factor for us and we will definitely use him when needed. As far as I am concerned, I am batting well at number 3, so I will continue to play in the same position.