NEW DELHI: Fresh off the handshake controversy and the not too long ago resolved stand-off with match referee Andy Pycroft, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha struck a defiant notice ahead of the blockbuster Super Four clash towards India, declaring that his workforce is “ready for any challenge.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The pressure between the 2 sides has spilled past the boundary rope. Their group-stage assembly in Dubai, performed below the shadow of the Pahalgam terror assault on April 22, had already triggered requires a boycott. India thrashed Pakistan by seven wickets and walked straight again to the dressing room, refusing to have interaction within the customary handshakes. Pakistan’s gamers responded by skipping the put up-match presentation.
Ex-cricketers lined as much as criticise India’s stance, whereas the PCB blamed Pycroft for a “breach of conduct” and demanded his elimination. The ICC’s refusal escalated the drama, even forcing Pakistan to cancel a scheduled press convention. Matters worsened earlier than the UAE fixture when the workforce threatened a boycott, staying again at their Dubai Marina resort till simply half-hour earlier than the toss. The standoff brought on an unprecedented one-hour delay.
Poll
Do you suppose Pakistan will overcome their batting challenges towards India?
On the sphere, Pakistan initially faltered once more with the bat, reeling at 128/8 earlier than Shaheen Afridi’s late fireworks — 29 off 14 balls with two sixes and a 4 — lifted them to 146/9. Though modest, the full proved greater than sufficient, with Salman main from the entrance alongside Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub as Pakistan’s spinners throttled UAE to seal a 41-run victory and a Super Four berth.Salman, nevertheless, was candid about his workforce’s shortcomings. “We got the job done, but we still need to improve our batting in the middle order. That’s been a concern… we’re still just finding our way to 150. If we bat well in the middle overs, we can push it to 170 no matter the opposition. Shaheen’s batting has improved a lot — he’s already great with the ball,” he mentioned.But it was his rallying cry that set the stage for Sunday’s showdown: “We’re ready for any challenge, and if we keep playing the way we have over the last four months, we’ll be good against any side.”