Pakistan batter Salman Ali Agha has explained his century celebration against Sri Lanka, saying that he did not mean it as a message to anyone and dedicated it to his young son.
Agha spoke at the post-match media conference after scoring his fourth ODI century in Sunday’s tri-series opener. He said that he dedicated the celebration to his young son.
“I don’t have enough time to message someone or prove someone wrong. I love my cricket, I love batting and I like playing for Pakistan,” Agha said, adding that the gesture came from his home life. “That was only celebration and my little son watches TV like this, so the [celebration] was for him.”
Agha also used the conference to call for more respect for domestic cricket. “I think we don’t give enough respect to our domestic cricket. The conditions there are not that easy and scoring runs is not an easy job. Otherwise, everyone would go there and score runs,” he pointed out.
He criticised the way some former cricketers treat domestic runs. “If a player like me scores runs in domestic cricket, former cricketers say on social media that he has scored runs in domestic cricket, but scoring runs there is not that easy. You have to play well to score runs there.”
Agha stated that attitude sends the wrong message to players who earn their place through domestic performances. “I don’t think this is a good message either, because the players who come from there after performing have earned it. I was performing there for 10 years before I came into international cricket. Saud Shakeel was also there, and Saad Baig has performed in domestic cricket and did well today.”
He ended by repeating his call. “I think the time has come to give domestic cricket the respect it deserves,” he observed.
Agha’s century marked his return to international cricket. He scored 107 off 90 balls, with 10 fours and a six, and Pakistan posted 305 in 49.5 overs at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after Sri Lanka chose to bowl first.
Debutant Saad Baig added 74 for the third wicket with Babar Azam.
Pakistan’s pace attack then bowled Sri Lanka out for 268 in 48.1 overs to win by 37 runs. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi took 3-55, while Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf took two wickets each.
Agha won player of the match. Pakistan face England next on Tuesday.
