Salman Ali Agha Admits Pakistan Must Fix Middle Order After T20I Loss to South Africa

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has urged his team to address their long-standing middle-order issues following a disappointing 55-run defeat to South Africa in the opening T20I of the three-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a target of 195, Pakistan’s batting lineup once again faltered under pressure, getting bundled out for just 139 runs in 18.1 overs. The collapse highlighted a recurring problem in their batting approach — the inability to build steady partnerships in the middle overs.

Speaking after the match, Agha was candid about his team’s shortcomings. “We are losing wickets too quickly, especially in the middle overs, and we need to fix that,” he said. “We just need to bat properly, rotate the strike, and build partnerships. If we can do that, chasing such totals becomes much easier.”

Pakistan’s innings never found rhythm after early setbacks. Saim Ayub was the top scorer with 37 off 28 balls, while Mohammad Nawaz provided a quick cameo of 36 from 20 balls. Beyond them, no other batter managed to make an impact as South Africa’s disciplined bowling, led by Corbin Bosch and George Linde, dismantled Pakistan’s chase.

Earlier, South Africa set a challenging total of 194/9, thanks to Reeza Hendricks’s 40-ball 60 and valuable contributions from all-rounder George Linde, who scored 36 off 22 and later took 3 for 31. Debutant Tony de Zorzi also impressed with a fluent 33, helping South Africa reach 74/1 in the PowerPlay before Pakistan’s bowlers staged a brief comeback.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz stood out with the ball, claiming three wickets for 26 runs in his four overs. Saim Ayub, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Naseem Shah chipped in with a wicket each, but inconsistent execution in the PowerPlay allowed South Africa to dominate early.

Reflecting on the team’s bowling performance, Agha admitted, “We didn’t bowl well in the PowerPlay. Bowling at the top of off stump would’ve been enough, but we missed our lengths. The positive is that we came back well in the later overs.”

With South Africa leading the series 1-0, Pakistan now face a must-win second T20I to keep their hopes alive. Agha emphasized the need for a quick turnaround in both departments, saying the team must “bat smarter and bowl tighter” if they are to level the series.