RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has stressed the importance of attacking with intent in the powerplay overs after his team secured a hard-fought five-wicket win against Zimbabwe in the opening match of the tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Pakistan chased down Zimbabwe’s 148-run target in 19.2 overs, recovering from early setbacks after slipping to 54-4 inside 10 overs. The rescue act came from Fakhar Zaman and Usman Khan, who steadied the innings with a match-defining 61-run partnership.
Fakhar smashed 44 off 32 balls with two fours and two sixes, while Usman contributed a composed 37 off 28 balls, featuring three boundaries.
Agha: “Didn’t Start Well with Ball or Bat”
Speaking after the victory, Agha admitted Pakistan failed to begin strongly in both departments.
“It was a close game. We didn’t start well, bowling or batting, and when you don’t start well, the game tends to get close,” he said.
The Pakistan skipper credited the spin attack for shifting momentum back in their favour.
“The spinners have been doing well for the last 4–5 months. Whoever comes in has contributed, and they’re the ones who pulled us back into the contest.”
A Low-Scoring Pitch, But Strong Bowling Response
Agha revealed that the pitch conditions were expected to be challenging for batting.
“When we saw the pitch last night, we knew it wouldn’t be very high scoring. Lately, Pindi has been producing 160–180 kind of surfaces. We bowled really well and were happy to chase 147.”
Pakistan’s disciplined bowling in the second half of Zimbabwe’s innings restricted the visitors and helped set up a manageable target.
Powerplay Execution “Crucial”, Says Captain
Agha concluded by highlighting the need to dominate the opening overs consistently.
“We need to start well, whether bowling or batting. In the powerplay, we must be ruthless — that’s what I’m going to talk about.”
Pakistan will aim to fine-tune their powerplay approach as the tri-series progresses.
