Just a week before India face Pakistan in Dubai, vice-captain Salman Ali Agha has said that winning the Champions Trophy is a bigger goal for his team than beating their arch-rivals in a match in the group stages.
The India-Pakistan match is usually the marquee game in any International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament and garners a high set of viewers in a cricket calendar that relishes these clashes. When Agha was asked about whether he viewed the clash as more important than winning the Champions trophy, the 31-year-old made it clear that winning one game wouldn’t matter if Pakistan wouldn’t be able to lift the trophy in a tournament with home advantage.
“The Pakistan-India match is the biggest, but winning the Champions Trophy is more important. If we beat India but don’t win the tournament, that win holds no value. However, if we lose to India but lift the trophy, that’s a bigger achievement. Our goal is to perform well and win,” he remarked.
Agha also spoke about the trophy being held in Pakistan and how it would be special to lift the trophy in Lahore. “I am excited for the Champions Trophy—Pakistan hosting an ICC event is special. As a Lahore native, lifting the trophy in my hometown would be a dream come true. The Pakistan team has the potential to win,” said Agha.
He also spoke about the new role given to him as vice-captain of the Pakistan cricket team and said that victories in Australia and South Africa had emboldened the team ahead of the Champions Trophy.
“I am really enjoying cricket and the new role given to me. Being vice-captain comes with responsibility but also a sense of freedom. The victories in Australia and South Africa gave me a lot of confidence, and I always prepare thoroughly a day before the match,” he shared.