Salman Ali Agha opens up after loss in fifth T20I against New Zealand

After New Zealand secured a dominant 4-1 series victory over Pakistan with a win in the fifth T20I, Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha shared his thoughts on the team’s performance and the positives despite the defeat. 

Salman acknowledged New Zealand’s dominance throughout the series, stating, "They were outstanding. They outplayed us in the whole series." 

Despite the loss, he highlighted the positive performances from the young players in the squad. 

"There were plenty of positives though. The way Hasan batted and Haris batted in Auckland. The way Sufiyan bowled today," he added.

Looking ahead to future challenges, Salman reflected on the team's focus coming into the series, mentioning that the attention was more on upcoming tournaments. 

"When we were coming in here, the focus was on the Asia Cup and the World Cup," he said. 

"I did alright. It doesn't matter when you lose the series," he further added. 

Salman also expressed confidence about the upcoming ODI series, noting that the team would be different in the longer format. 

"Completely different team in the ODIs. More experience. They have played in NZ before. It will be a different ball game," he concluded. 

In the match, Tim Seifert's blistering 97* and Jimmy Neesham's remarkable 5-wicket haul led New Zealand to a dominant eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final T20I, securing a 4-1 series win at Sky Stadium on Wednesday.

Set to chase 129, New Zealand made light work of the target, reaching it in just 10 overs with Seifert and Finn Allen adding 93 runs for the first wicket. Seifert's 97 from 38 balls included six fours and 10 sixes. Daryl Mitchell provided support with a quick 2* as New Zealand cruised to victory.

Pakistan's innings faltered after a poor start, with Hasan Nawaz dismissed for a duck and early wickets falling. Despite a valiant 51 from captain Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan could only manage 128/9 in their 20 overs. Sufiyan Muqeem was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, taking two wickets for six runs.

Neesham’s 5/22, along with contributions from Jacob Duffy (2/18), Ish Sodhi (1/32), and Ben Sears (1/25), restricted Pakistan's progress. New Zealand’s all-round performance sealed the win and wrapped up the series in style.