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Pakistan's T20 World Cup Exit: Dew, Execution Woes Haunt Skipper Salman Agha

Pakistan captain Salman Agha pinpointed losing the toss and heavy dew as major factors in his team's T20 World Cup exit, despite a final win over Sri Lanka. He admitted the team failed to execute their bowling plans effectively on a challenging pitch. Agha highlighted the team's persistent batting struggles, with only Sahibzada Farhan performing consistently throughout the tournament. The skipper concluded that the middle-order remains a long-standing concern requiring serious attention.

Key Points: Pakistan's T20 WC Exit: Agha Cites Dew, Execution Issues

  • Dew factor after losing toss
  • Inability to execute bowling plans
  • Chronic middle-order batting failures
  • Spin attack had an off day
  • Missed crucial runs in final overs
2 min read

T20 WC: 'We couldn't execute our plans well,' says Salman Agha after Pakistan's exit from the event

Captain Salman Agha reflects on Pakistan's T20 World Cup elimination, pointing to dew, poor execution, and chronic middle-order batting failures.

"We couldn't execute our plans the way we wanted to. - Salman Agha"

Kandy, Feb 28

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha admitted that dew, execution issues, and long-standing middle-order concerns played a key role in his team's exit from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, even after registering a dramatic five-run win over Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Stadium on Saturday.

Pakistan defended a huge total of 212/8 but failed to restrict Sri Lanka before 147, the margin required to overtake New Zealand on net run rate, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.

Reflecting on the match and Pakistan's campaign, Agha said losing the toss made the task difficult on a pitch that became increasingly challenging for bowlers due to heavy dew. "I think when I lost the toss, it was always going to be challenging because of the dew. It was a very good pitch and restricting them to 148 was always going to be difficult," Agha said in the post-match presentation.

"If I had won the toss, it could have been a different story. Dew was definitely a factor, and we couldn't execute our plans the way we wanted to," he added.

Agha also pointed to an off day for the spin attack and accepted that such setbacks are part of the T20 format. "Our spin has been brilliant, but today Usman had an off day. That can happen in T20 cricket," he said.

Looking at the bigger picture, the Pakistan skipper did not shy away from addressing the team's batting struggles across the tournament. "We couldn't bat well throughout the tournament. It was only Sahibzada Farhan who batted exceptionally well. If someone had supported him, it could have been a different story," Agha noted.

He added that the middle order remains a major area of concern. "The middle order has been a problem for a few years now. We need to sit down and seriously look at that department," he said.

Agha also focused on Pakistan's failure to finish strongly despite dominating most of the innings. "We missed quite a few runs in the last two overs. If we had scored 10-15 more runs, it could have changed the outcome," he concluded.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
That was a heartbreaking way to go out, winning but still eliminated on NRR. The match was thrilling to watch from here in the US. Farhan's batting was a silver lining. Hope they fix those middle-order issues before the next World Cup.
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Arjun K
Yaar, it's always the same story with Pakistan cricket. "Dew factor", "off day", "middle order problems". When will they take real accountability? They had a huge total to defend and couldn't manage the NRR equation. It's poor planning, not just bad luck. 🇮🇳
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Priya S
Feel for the fans. It's never easy. But Agha is right to highlight the middle order. It's been a weakness for too long. In a format like T20, you need firepower all the way down. One player can't do it all. Sahibzada Farhan deserved better support.
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Michael C
The captain's analysis seems honest. Losing the toss in those conditions is a massive disadvantage. But at the elite level, you have to find a way. The failure to get those extra 10-15 runs he mentioned was probably the real difference between staying and going home.
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Kavya N
Winning and still getting knocked out must be so frustrating for the players. Net run rate can be cruel. As an Indian, the rivalry is intense, but you never want to see a team exit like this. Hopefully, this is a wake-up call for their cricket board to address the systemic issues.

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