After a close two-wicket loss to the West Indies in the second T20I, Captain Salman Ali Agha announced that Pakistan is ready for the Asia Cup, starting September 9.
The Asia Cup will follow the T20I format and include eight teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka (the five full members of the Asian Cricket Council), plus the UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. The tournament gives all teams a chance to prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. With the Asia Cup in the UAE just a month away, Pakistan’s captain Agha has made a strong statement to their opponents.
The way our spinners bowled in both games, I think we’re ready for the Asia Cup. They always support us, no matter where we play, Agha said after the second T20I against the West Indies.
India, Pakistan, the UAE, and Oman are in Group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong are in Group B. Dubai will host 11 matches, and Abu Dhabi will host eight. The first match is between Afghanistan and Hong Kong on September 9 in Abu Dhabi.
Although India is the host, the BCCI and PCB agreed to provide a neutral venue for the other team for three years for competitions in India or Pakistan.
Before the series, Pakistan played a three-match T20I series against the West Indies. In the first game, Pakistan scored 178/6 and defended it with strong spin bowling.
In the second game, Pakistan’s batters struggled, scoring only 133/9. Pakistan’s spinners – Mohammad Nawaz, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Saim Ayub – couldn’t save the game. Agha analyzed his team’s performance, saying that a 130-run target was not enough against the West Indies.
We didn’t bat well in the powerplay and couldn’t finish the game the way we wanted. But we bowled and fielded well. There’s always room to improve – our death bowling can be better. 130 was never enough, but they fought hard, he added.
In the Asia Cup, India could play Pakistan up to three times. Besides the group stage match, they could meet in the Super 4 stage if they both qualify. If they both advance past the Super 4, they will play a third time in the final.
Fans, politicians, and former cricketers believe India should not play against Pakistan in the tournament because of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 tourists were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7 to avenge the attack and destroy the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and inside Pakistan.