3 min readUpdated: Feb 27, 2026 11:46 PM IST
Pakistan cricketer Salman Mirza has slammed the fans for abusing team captain Salman Ali Agha’s family on social media. Pakistan need to win their final game of the Super 8 stage against Sri Lanka tomorrow by a handsome margin to make it to the semis.
In Pakistan, Agha’s decisions as captain have come under heavy criticism, from former cricketers who are now analysts besides Pakistan cricket team’s passionate fans. Agha, who has promoted himself up the batting order to no 3 instead of Babar Azam, has also not had the best of form, scoring just 60 runs from six matches.
Recently, Agha’s wife hit back at trolls on social media, writing: “Abusing me and my son won’t win you the World Cup.” Now, Mirza has criticised the trolls at the pre-match press conference before the Sri Lanka game.
“…. any such act which targets a player’s family is a very shameful thing. Because the player always wants to do good on the ground. If he doesn’t perform well on any given day, that doesn’t mean you should target their families. And I don’t think this should happen at all,” Mirza said ahead of Pakistan’s crucial Super Eights match against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will need to win by a 64-run margin or chase down the target in 13.1 overs against Sri Lanka to make it to the semi-finals thanks to England’s victory over New Zealand on Saturday.
Before the England vs New Zealand game played out, Mirza said at the press conference that the Salman Agha-led team will do whatever they need to against Sri Lanka.
“There is enough capability in Pakistan that they not only reach the semi-final but also do very well. It is hanging by a thread now that is not in our control. We are just watching our match and hopefully will do well in that,” he said. “Regardless of today’s game or tomorrow’s game, we can’t control it and we are just focusing on our game and we will try to do best in that.
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“As a player you always want to do well and you always evaluate yourself whether you are doing well or not. As a player – we try to give our best for the team and we try to do that. But whether it happens or not, that’s not in our control.”
(With inputs from Press Trust of India)
