Pakistan T20I captain Salman Agha hints at return of Farhan, Hasan to national team

Salman, a member of Islamabad United, the defending champions, has mapped out his goals for the 10th edition of Pakistan's premier T20 tournament. He aims to contribute to Islamabad's pursuit of the fourth PSL trophy while also scouting for future players for Pakistan's national team.

"My effort is to perform for Islamabad United while also monitoring players who could serve Pakistan in future. I'll be watching the form and fitness of players who might play for Pakistan in future under my captaincy," Agha told Geo News.

Salman remained tight-lipped about naming specific youngsters who have caught his attention. However, he didn't shy away from singing a verse in praise of Hasan and Farhan, the two standout performers in the PSL, who have been missing from the national fold since January 2024 and January 2025, respectively.

"Only 2-3 matches have been played so far - it's early in the tournament. After 7-8 matches, we'll see who performs consistently. But the way Ali is bowling is commendable and Farhan's current form can't go unnoticed," he added.

Farhan has played a fundamental role in Islamabad's unbeaten run in the tournament. With his rollicking performances, Farhan has hammered 184 runs in three innings at an emphatic average of 61.33 and is the leading run-getter in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Hasan, the all-time leading wicket-getter in PSL, has been the Karachi Kings' prime weapon with the ball in the ongoing edition. With his lethal pace and tenacious lengths, Hasan has scythed eight scalps in three innings at a mouth-watering average of 12.37 and occupies the second spot in the list of leading wicket-takers in the current season.

Salman gave his take on the current trend in modern-day cricket where batters unleash a relentless onslaught on the bowlers, resulting in high-scoring affairs. In such a scenario, Pakistan have struggled to meet the current standard of T20 cricket.

Their recent 4-1 T20I series defeat in New Zealand serves as a reminder of their shambolic run in the format in the international circuit. Despite their woes, Salman expressed confidence in the current pool of players to match the standards of modern-day cricket.

"Modern cricket requires maintaining the required tempo, not just hitting every ball. We need to build a culture of playing according to conditions. The key is to maintain the scoring rate - whether chasing or setting a target. Sometimes attempts fail, which is acceptable," he said.

"Batters win matches, but bowlers win tournaments. On high-scoring pitches, bowlers who concede 10-15 fewer runs make the difference," he added.