Pakistan are ready to play in a tri-series against Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The tournament begins on Friday, August 29, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Salman Ali Agha will lead Pakistan. The team will use this series to prepare for the Asia Cup 2025, which starts on September 9.
Salman Ali Agha’s Reaction Creates Buzz ahead of Tri Series Against Afghanistan
Before the first match, a press conference was held with all three captains. Pakistan skipper Agha, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan, and UAE captain Muhammad Waseem answered questions from the media.
One question to Rashid Khan caught attention. A reporter called Afghanistan the second-best team in Asia after their strong T20 World Cup 2024 performance. The journalist reminded everyone that Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of that event.
Hearing this, Agha looked surprised. His facial expression quickly changed, and a smirk followed. The moment was brief, but fans noticed it. Pictures of Agha’s reaction soon spread on social media.
Afghanistan’s recent record shows why the question was asked. In the 2023 ODI World Cup, they finished with the same points as Pakistan. They also defeated Pakistan in a one-sided match in Chennai. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan went as far as the semi-finals. They beat strong teams like New Zealand and Australia along the way.
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Pakistan, however, had a poor run in that same tournament. They lost to India and even debutants USA, failing to progress beyond the first round. Their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign was also disappointing, as they did not win a single match. Afghanistan at least managed to beat England in that event, even though they did not reach the knockouts.
Over the next few days, Pakistan and Afghanistan may play each other up to three times in the tri-series. For the Asia Cup, both teams are placed in different groups, but fans are already excited about the rivalry.
