Pakistan’s vice-captain Agha Salman admitted that the team could have crossed 300 runs but struggled to get a strong start in their Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand. After Pakistan’s 60-run loss, Agha Salman addressed the media, emphasizing the need to convert starts into big scores and maintain consistency to become one of the best teams in the world.
“We couldn’t build partnerships or gain momentum today. Our powerplay performance wasn’t up to the mark, and Fakhar’s absence made a difference. If he was there, our score could have been different. I could have extended my innings, and that might have changed the result,” Agha Salman stated.
He further added that defeating top teams requires consistent performances, and Pakistan failed to meet expectations in all departments. However, he assured that the team would move past this game and focus on their upcoming match against India.
Naseem Shah: “A Poor Start Can Be Disappointing”
Speaking in the mixed zone, Pakistan’s fast bowler Naseem Shah admitted that the loss was disappointing but stressed the need to rectify mistakes before the crucial match against India.
“A bad start is always disappointing, but we have to fix many things before the next match. The pitches here don’t offer much assistance to bowlers, and high scores are expected. The last six to eight overs didn’t go as planned, and we need to improve in those areas,” Naseem Shah explained.
He also mentioned his focus remains on bowling but continues to work on his batting, often trying to bat higher in club matches.
“One bad match doesn’t mean we will completely fall apart. We need to keep our morale high and focus on winning the next two matches,” he concluded.
