Pakistan's Salman Agha Issues Bold Challenge to India After Handshake Controversy

NEW DELHI: Fresh off the handshake controversy and the recently resolved stand-off with match referee Andy Pycroft, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha struck a defiant note ahead of the blockbuster Super Four clash against India, declaring that his team is “ready for any challenge.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The tension between the two sides has spilled beyond the boundary rope. Their group-stage meeting in Dubai, played under the shadow of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, had already triggered calls for a boycott. India thrashed Pakistan by seven wickets and walked straight back to the dressing room, refusing to engage in the customary handshakes. Pakistan’s players responded by skipping the post-match presentation.Ex-cricketers lined up to criticise India’s stance, while the PCB blamed Pycroft for a “breach of conduct” and demanded his removal. The ICC’s refusal escalated the drama, even forcing Pakistan to cancel a scheduled press conference. Matters worsened before the UAE fixture when the team threatened a boycott, staying back at their Dubai Marina hotel until just 30 minutes before the toss. The standoff caused an unprecedented one-hour delay.On the field, Pakistan initially faltered again with the bat, reeling at 128/8 before Shaheen Afridi’s late fireworks — 29 off 14 balls with two sixes and a four — lifted them to 146/9. Though modest, the total proved more than enough, with Salman leading from the front alongside Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub as Pakistan’s spinners throttled UAE to seal a 41-run victory and a Super Four berth.Salman, however, was candid about his team’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 said.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.”