New Delhi: Pakistan T20I captain Salman Agha was critical of his team’s performance following their 55-run defeat to South Africa in the opening match of the T20I series, admitting that a lack of partnerships in the middle order cost them the game.
Chasing 195, Pakistan were bowled out for 139 in 18.1 overs, undone by a disciplined bowling display from Corbin Bosch and George Linde, giving South Africa a 1–0 lead in the three-match series. Agha, speaking after the match, said his team needed to show better game awareness and build stronger stands.
“We didn’t start well with the ball but managed to pull things back later. However, in batting, we’re losing too many wickets in the middle overs. We need to rotate the strike better, take singles and doubles, and build partnerships — that’s what’s missing right now. If we form solid partnerships, we can chase these kinds of totals,” Agha said.
He also expressed disappointment with the bowlers’ performance during the powerplay, saying they missed their lengths early on.
“We didn’t bowl well in the powerplay. On this wicket, if we had bowled consistently around the off stump, it would have worked in our favour. But we failed to execute that. The positive, however, is that we bowled much better during the middle overs,” he added.
Pakistan will aim to bounce back in the second T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday, with the final match of the series scheduled for Saturday at the same venue.
