Mike Hesson Breaks Silence On Rift With Salman Ali Agha In T20 World Cup

Discussion between Mike Hesson and Salman Ali Agha [Source: X]

In a significant development, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has reacted to the speculations claiming a rift between him and captain Salman Ali Agha. During Pakistan's must-win T20 World Cup match against Namibia, Hesson was seen having an intense discussion with Salman Ali Agha, as the latter threw an empty bottle into the ground. 

Riding on Sahibzada Farhan's blistering century and valuable cameos from Salman and Shadab Khan, Pakistan posted a massive total of 199 runs against Namibia. 

In response, the Namibian team was bowled out for just 97 runs, losing the match by a whopping margin. 

While the emphatic win stamped the Pakistani team's entry into the Super 8s, a video showing Hesson's intense discussion with Salman grabbed a million eyeballs, hinting at a possible rift between the Pakistani coach and captain. 

Mike Hesson reacts to video clip claiming his rift with Salman Ali Agha

Recently, head coach Mike Hesson reacted to the clip, which indicated a possible feud between two key members of the Pakistani leadership group. 

Also read: Mohammad Amir Shown Brutal Salman Agha Mirror For Ridiculing Abhishek Sharma

While speaking during the pre-match press conference, Hesson dismissed the rift rumours, accusing the media of misinterpreting the incident and making a mountain out of a molehill. 

“I’ve actually got sent that video, and you guys have really got that wrong," Mike Hesson said. 

The former RCB coach further explained what actually transpired between him and Salman Ali Agha, disclosing that the latter was quite upset with himself after getting dismissed at a crucial juncture of the PAK Vs NAM T20 World Cup match. 

As Hesson put it, all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz was the focal point of discussion between the two, as he wanted the left-hander to go next. Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha smashed the bottle in anger after throwing his wicket, and his gesture had nothing to do with Hesson's suggestion. 

 “I’ll talk you through what happened. I was going over to talk to Salman about getting (Mohammad) Nawaz to put the pads on as a left-hander, and Agha was upset that he just got out, so he threw the bottle into the ground," Mike Hesson said. 

"(It had) nothing to do with the conversation we were having. And then, obviously, as I said, once the left arm spinner finished, we talked about Shadab (Khan) getting his pads on to come in after. So it was a really simple conversation that often he wasn’t even part of. He was just standing there, being pretty disappointed that he was out, and just happened to be in the crossfire. So, amazing what people can interpret sometimes," he concluded. 

Pakistan to face New Zealand in first Super 8 match of T20 World Cup

Meanwhile, Pakistan are getting ready to take on New Zealand in their first match of the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. The Men in Green were impressive in the group stage, winning three out of four matches. 

Skipper Salman Ali Agha, who registered a string of low scores, finally regained his mojo against Namibia and will certainly be one of the key players for his team in the highly anticipated encounter, set to be played at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 21. 

Also read: Ahmed Shehzad Calls Shadab Khan 'Chor' On Live TV; Gives Pakistan Player Belt Treatment