KARACHI: Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has admitted lapses in his decision-making during the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 final draw against arch-rivals India.
Rauf, who returned economical bowling figures of 2/26 against India in the Super Force phase of the continental tournament, had a contrasting outing against the same opposition in the climactic clash as he went wicketless for 50 runs in 3.4 overs.
He started his spell after the powerplay and conceded just seven runs despite Sanju Samson hitting a boundary off the third ball.
The right-arm pacer was brought back into the attack when Pakistan were under pressure with the scoreboard 83/4 after 14 overs, and he failed to carry the momentum in the Green Shirts’ favor as he conceded 17 runs in his second over.
He was briefly taken out of the attack and brought back to bowl the 18th over, in which he conceded 13 runs, resulting in an equalizer requiring 17 runs off 12 balls.
Pacing all-rounder Faheem Ashraf pulled back for Pakistan in the last over, who conceded just seven runs to dismiss Indian opponent Shivam Dubey, and Rauf could not save 10 as the Men in Blue chased down the target with 2 balls to spare.
Reflecting on the gutsy defeat during the podcast of the first Pakistan-India final of the Asia Cup, Agha said the results would have been different if he had continued with Abrar and chose it as one result he would like to change from the blockbuster clash.
“There are a lot of things. It’s been a year since I started as captain and that too in two matches. Many mistakes must have happened. If our results were not good, mistakes would have happened,” Agha said.
“In the Asia Cup final, I decided that if I had continued with Abrar, I don’t know what the result would have been. That’s what I want to change,” he added.
The Pakistan captain, however, explained that his decision to hand the ball to Rauf was influenced by the fast bowler’s status as their “key bowler”, but said he was unable to execute plans properly.
“If you look at the other side, I gave the ball to Harris; he was our key bowler in that match. He couldn’t bowl well, couldn’t execute his plans properly,” Agha noted.
“I feel like you don’t know what would have happened to the game if I had continued with Abrar,” he concluded.