Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha celebrates after scoring century during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo)As hosts Pakistan face New Zealand in their Champions Trophy opener at the National Stadium in Karachi today, the defending champions would hope to emulate their 2017 title-winning campaign. The Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan team has included talents like Tayaab Tahir and Salman Agha in the squad and former Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Salman Agha can be the poster boy for Pakistan cricket with a dominating performance in Champions Trophy.
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Agha has so far played in 33 ODIs with one hundred and five half-centuries under his belt and his maiden ODI hundred came last week against South Africa during the tri-nation series. “I am excited about two players. Tayyab Tahir and Salman Ali Agha. What a player Salman Agha is. He has quality and press handling ability. I am seeing a Pakistani player with on field presence for the first time in many years. I really hope he does not go like some of the other players did. He could become the poster boy for Pakistan cricket. I believe he has so much ability that he can surpass Babar Azam and Rizwan. I am not sure about his real age but I am a fan of his game. He has the skill to play all kinds of shots,” Ashwin said on his YouTube show Ash ki Baat.
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2017 Champions Trophy player of the final Fakhar Zaman too has made a comeback into the Pakistan side in recent months and is expected to open for the hosts. Zaman amassed 135 runs in the recently held tri-nation series including a knock of 84 runs against New Zealand. Ashwin sees Zaman opening for Pakistan in the Champions Trophy partnering Babar Azam. “I am glad Fakhar Zaman is back. As their team is setting up, it seems that Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman will open and Saud Shakeel and Rizwan will play at three and four. And Tayyab Tahir will be the one to watch out in the middle-order. Their approach has been different than India to have more pacers in the team and let’s see what happens next,” added Ashwin.
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Pakistan have only included leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed as the sole specialist spinner in the Champions Trophy squad. With Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah along with Haris Rauf expected to lead the Pakistan bowling attack, Ashwin put his weight behind Afridi and Ahmed if Pakistan have to win the title. “Shaheen Shah Afridi. What can he do? Can Abrar Ahmed be the answer to what Pakistan has been looking to? All these things will contribute to where Pakistan will finish in the Champions Trophy,” said Ashwin.
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