Asia Cup: Pakistan captain Agha urges better batting in middle overs ahead of India clash

Dubai, Sep 18 (IANS) Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has called on his team to sharpen their batting in the middle overs as they gear up for a high-stakes Asia Cup Super Four clash against India on September 21.

His comments came after Pakistan’s 41-run victory over the UAE, a result that sealed their place in the next stage of the tournament but did little to hide the batting frailties that continue to dog the side.

“We got the job done but we needed to bat better in the middle overs,” Agha said after the game. “The bowlers did well. We haven't batted to our best yet. If we batted well, we would have ended up with 170-180. Shaheen is a match winner. His batting has improved. Abrar has been outstanding. He is someone who is bringing us back into the games. We are ready for any challenge. If we play good cricket, we can be good against any side.”

Pakistan managed only 146/9 against the UAE, rescued by a late surge from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who struck an unbeaten 29 off 14 balls. The top and middle order, however, once again failed to fire. Saim Ayub is yet to open his account in three matches, while Agha himself has struggled to impose authority in the middle overs.

The skipper reiterated that turning those phases into strong batting passages remains critical. “Yeah, we're ready for any challenge,” Agha said. “We just want to play good cricket, and if we play good cricket like we've been playing for the last few months.” He added that Pakistan must specifically address their stumbles between overs 7 and 15, which have repeatedly left them short of par totals.

The looming contest against India is set against a heated backdrop. Their last meeting in the group stage ended in a seven-wicket win for India, but the game was overshadowed by post-match tensions when the Indian team refused to shake hands, an incident linked to wider political strains following the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year.

The so-called “no-handshake controversy” has since fanned the flames of an already intense rivalry, and with both sides now in the Super Four, the stakes are even higher. For Pakistan, a sharper batting display could be the difference between surviving India’s bowling attack and suffering another setback.

“We just want to play good cricket… If we play good cricket, we can be good against any side," he concluded

--IANS

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