Pakistan T20 captain Salman Ali Agha has confirmed that the team management has finalised a pool of 25 players in line with the upcoming T20 World Cup.

 

Speaking to the media during the national team’s final practice session before they departed for Bangladesh on Monday, Agha said that strengthening the bench is a top priority. “We are working on building our bench strength so that every player is ready to become part of the team at any time,” he said.

 

He explained that the team has a clear strategy for the future. “A pool of 25 players has been formed and these players will be seen in action until the World Cup,” he added. He confirmed that seniors like Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are included in this core group. “Shaheen Afridi’s performance is no secret; he is one of Pakistan’s most important players,” he said.

 

Talking about the balance between formats, Agha said, “If our team performs well in Test cricket, other teams will also want to play more Tests with us, but since the T20 World Cup is near, our main focus is on T20 matches right now.”

 

On Mohammad Nawaz’s return, Agha said, “Due to Shadab Khan’s injury, we needed a replacement like him, so Nawaz was included in the team. Performance can go up and down, but you cannot ignore any player’s abilities.”

 

Regarding the Karachi training camp, he said, “The camp was set up keeping in mind the conditions of current and upcoming matches because here the conditions were favourable for spinners. The team is leaving for the next series with full preparation.”

 

When asked about his own captaincy, Agha said, “I do not think about whether I will be captain in the next series or not. My full focus is always on the present series and my aim is to get the best performance out of the players.”

 

He acknowledged that Bangladesh could pose a real challenge. “Bangladesh can be a tough team in their home conditions and they have defeated big teams on their grounds in the past,” he said.

 

In closing, Agha stressed the importance of consistency and patience in Pakistan cricket. “Consistency in captaincy, coaching and the system is necessary. You cannot prove anything in one or two months. Wherever Pakistan cricket should be, I am ready to play my role for that,” he said.

 

The three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is scheduled from July 20 to 24.