Mohammad Amir: “Look at Agha – he was a middle-order batter and has now moved to number three, while an opener has been pushed down to number four”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has questioned T20I captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to promote himself to number three while pushing an opener down to number four.
Amir noted that such decisions don’t make sense to him, especially considering that Salman is a middle order batsman.
The 34-year-old added that since batsmen are constantly being shuffled around, it is denting the team’s chances of winning matches as players are unable to settle into defined roles and build consistency.
“Look at Agha – he was a middle-order batter and has now moved to number three, while an opener has been pushed down to number four. So somewhere this also raises a question mark over the selection committee: you didn’t build the depth that reflects a mindset of taking the team towards improvement. You just kept shuffling – opener to middle order, middle order to opener – and because of that, the team’s winning balance never remains consistent,” Amir told Geo News.
Salman was recently involved in Pakistan’s two-Test series against Bangladesh and accumulated 176 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 44.
He then proceeded to play three ODIs against Australia, but failed to impress as he could only muster 28 runs at an average of 9.33.
Next up for Pakistan will be two Tests against the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago from July 25 to August 6.
Following this, the men in green will take on England in a three-Test series from August 19 to September 13.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
Pakistan Squad for England Test series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah