Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha had an animated conversation with head coach Mike Hesson during Pakistan’s final group match against Namibia. According to reports, there is a row between the coach and the captain in the Pakistan camp ahead of the Super 8 leg of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Pakistan sealed their place in the Super 8s with a 102-run win over Namibia on Wednesday. Sahibzada Farhan scored an unbeaten 100 off 58 balls while spinners Shadab Khan and Usman Tariq shared seven wickets between them. Pakistan will take on New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka in the Super 8 stage.
Salman Ali Agha loses cool after altercation with Mike Hesson
Pakistan started their innings cautiously, with Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub dodging early risks. Ayub died for 14 off 12 balls. Farhan and Salman Ali Agha then leveled the innings with a partnership of 67 runs off 42 balls for the second wicket before Agha’s dismissal went against the flow of the game.
Agha played a quick knock of 38 runs off 23 balls. Jack Brassell dismissed him on the first ball of the 13th over of the Pakistani innings. After walking back to the dugout, Agha was caught on camera in a heated argument with head coach Mike Hesson.
The video showed the Pakistani captain visibly upset during the conversation before throwing a water bottle in frustration.
Not all feeling well in the Pakistani camp? Salman Ali Agha clears the air
According to RevSportz’s Shamik Chakrabarty, there were signs of tension in the Pakistani camp, with talk of a possible rift between Salman Ali Agha and Mike Hesson. Shamik revealed that Agha told his teammates that his reaction only stemmed from disappointment over his own dismissal.
“All is not going well in the Pakistan camp and there are reports of a falling out between the coach and the captain. However, according to sources, Salman Ali Agha discussed the issue after the match during the locker room chat. He explained to his teammates that his reaction was purely out of frustration over his dismissal,” Shamik Chakrabarty said.
Agha felt he had played a useful cameo of around thirty runs, helping Pakistan regain momentum after a slow start. He wanted to continue, but wasn’t happy with the way he came out. The response had nothing to do with what head coach Mike Hesson said and was directed solely at himself.ā
šØSalman Agha clears the air. Pakistan are likely to remain unchanged in their Super 8 match against New Zealand@shamik100 reporting from Colombo š@IDFCFIRSTBank #Pakistan #SalmanAgha #T20World Cup pic.twitter.com/ySVvJxH3EF
ā RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) February 20, 2026
Pakistan is likely to remain unchanged for Super 8 clash against New Zealand
Shamik Chakrabarty stated that Pakistan are expected to stick with the same playing XI for their Super 8 match against New Zealand. He added that Shaheen Afridi may not be considered for the upcoming match.
“New Zealand will train from 2 p.m. Before that, their press conference will be at 1.45 p.m. Pakistan will train from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and they have scheduled their pre-match press conference at 9 p.m.”
Whether Pakistan will change their team combination against New Zealand in the Super 8 match remains to be seen. However, what I hear from insiders is that they will probably go in with an unchanged line-up.ā
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