Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir, who is nowadays being referred to as “Amir Baba” for his accurate predictions during the ongoing T20 World Cup, has said that skipper Salman Ali Agha may not continue as Pakistan’s T20I captain after the tournament.

 

Amir made the prediction following Pakistan’s disappointing loss against England in a crucial Super Eight match on Tuesday, virtually ending the country’s campaign at the World Cup. While the win secured England’s place in the semi-finals, Pakistan must now rely on other teams’ results and win their final Super Eight match against Sri Lanka for a chance at qualifying.

 

“I think Salman Ali Agha will no longer remain the T20 captain after this World Cup. In my opinion, no one else truly deserves it at the moment. As things stand, I don’t see a suitable replacement right now. I also believe that for many players, this T20 World Cup will be their last,” Amir said while speaking during a TV programme.

 

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif also delivered a blunt assessment, claiming that Babar Azam is “no longer a player of this format”. He questioned the decision to recall the right-hander six months after dropping him due to concerns over his strike rate and pointed out that the team management had earlier stated Babar would return once his scoring rate improved.

 

“When did it improve? Why did you bring him back?” he asked.

 

Latif also criticised Pakistan’s batting approach, saying modern T20 cricket demanded players who could shift gears and control a chase, explaining that when a batter uses 20 to 25 deliveries without accelerating, pressure builds on the other end and forces incoming players into risky shots. 

 

He stressed that set batters must take responsibility and bat deep, especially when partners struggle to score freely.

 

Latif also compared Pakistan’s approach to opposition batters who keep the scoreboard moving under pressure. He said successful players can “play from both ends” and maintain control, while Pakistan’s batters often fail to accelerate at the right time.

 

Former opener Ahmed Shehzad also raised concerns over decision-making during the innings, pointing to missed opportunities for quick singles and doubles. 

 

He questioned why a player with more than a decade of international experience continued to struggle against quality leg-spin.

 

Referring to Tuesday’s match, Shehzad highlighted the moment Babar nearly lost his wicket to a googly from Adil Rashid. “Is this improvement?” he asked, adding that unless players accept their weaknesses and adapt to the demands of T20 cricket, including power-hitting and calculated risk-taking, progress will remain limited.

 

He also described the “lack of acceptance” as the reason behind Babar’s downfall.