Pakistan has officially secured its place in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 following a dominant 102 run victory over Namibia. While the result provides much needed relief for the Pakistani camp, captain Salman Ali Agha’s post match comments suggest a strategic focus on momentum rather than dwelling on the team’s recent 61 run capitulation against arch rivals India.
Clinical Against Namibia
In a must win encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Pakistan displayed the clinical edge that had been missing in their previous outing. Batting first, the team posted a formidable 199 for 3, anchored by a magnificent unbeaten century from Sahibzada Farhan. Farhan’s 100 off 58 balls, supported by useful cameos from Agha (38) and Shadab Khan (36), set a target that proved insurmountable for the Associate nation.
The bowling effort was equally impressive, led by the “out of syllabus” spinner Usman Tariq, who dismantled the Namibian lower order to finish with figures of 4 for 16. Shadab Khan provided excellent support with a three wicket haul as Namibia was bundled out for a mere 97.
Agha’s Optimism and the “Lethal” Tariq
Reflecting on the victory, Salman Ali Agha was quick to praise his squad’s versatility. “It is a complete performance. We batted well in the powerplay and the middle overs as well. Farhan has been batting well for a while and I am happy that he got his hundred. With the ball we were lethal,” Agha stated.
The captain reserved special praise for Usman Tariq, whose unorthodox action has become a major talking point of the tournament. “He is a tough bowler, trust me. I have faced him in domestic cricket. It’s tough to pick him, especially with that pause. Thankfully he is playing for our team. We have been playing good cricket,” he added, looking forward to the Super 8 clash against New Zealand.
The Elephant in the Room: The India Match
While Agha claims Pakistan has been “playing good cricket,” the statement appears to overlook the team’s performance against India just days prior at the R. Premadasa Stadium. In that high voltage clash, Pakistan’s tactical decision to bowl first backfired spectacularly. India, led by a rampaging Ishan Kishan, posted 175, while Pakistan’s chase crumbled for 114.
During that match, the same “lethal” bowling attack was picked apart by Kishan and Hardik Pandya. Basit Ali and other pundits had slammed Agha’s leadership, calling the decision to field first “ignorant” given the pitch conditions. Furthermore, the batting unit, which flourished against Namibia, looked helpless against Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel, with Babar Azam being criticized by Dinesh Karthik for a “submission” shot that highlighted a lack of belief.
Looking Ahead to the Super 8s
By dismissing the India loss as an outlier, Agha is clearly attempting to keep his players’ confidence high as they enter the business end of the tournament. The “luxury of spinners” that Agha highlighted will be put to the test in the coming weeks against New Zealand and England.
“New Zealand have been playing good cricket as well so should be a good game. We have the luxury of spinners and the all-rounders who can bat as well. In Sri Lanka if you have such quality spinners you don’t have to bother about bowling pace,” Agha concluded. For Pakistan to progress beyond the Super 8s, they will need more than just dominant wins against Associate sides; they must prove that they can maintain this “complete performance” when faced with the No. 1 ranked Indian side or a disciplined Kiwi outfit.
