Salman Ali Agha Reveals Pakistan’s Biggest Weakness After Zimbabwe Win

Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has urged his side to adopt a more “ruthless” attitude in the powerplay overs after edging past Zimbabwe in a tense five-wicket win to open the T20I tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, referring to their starts as the team’s biggest weakness.

Pakistan were made to work harder than expected after Zimbabwe’s young opening pair, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Brian Bennett, came out firing. The duo raced to 59 without loss inside the first six overs — Zimbabwe’s second-highest powerplay score against Pakistan in T20Is — leaving the home side momentarily stunned.

Once the field spread, Pakistan clawed their way back, restricting Zimbabwe to 147/8, a total below par on the challenging Rawalpindi surface.

However, Pakistan’s top order faltered again during the chase, stumbling to 31/3 inside the powerplay. Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz guided Pakistan to victory, but the narrow win left the captain with plenty to reflect upon.

Speaking after the match, Salman Ali Agha acknowledged the team’s struggles at both the start and end of the innings.

“It was a close game. We didn’t start well — with the ball or the bat — and when that happens, the game tends to get close,” the captain said.

He credited the spin unit for rescuing the innings, noting that Pakistan had anticipated a lower-scoring contest after assessing conditions the night before. Salman Ali Agha also emphasized that Pakistan must urgently address one recurring issue.

“We need to start well — whether bowling or batting. In the powerplay, we have to be ruthless. That’s what I’m going to talk about with the boys.”

Pakistan’s batting struggles have been evident throughout 2025, but with the next T20 World Cup approaching, Salman Ali Agha and his men will need a quick solution. The team’s immediate focus will be on the next match against Sri Lanka, scheduled for Saturday at the same venue but if the powerplay struggles continue, the team may find itself in many other close matches.