Pakistan cricket team captain Salman Ali Agha has accepted responsibility for the team’s failure to reach the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Speaking at a press conference in Kandy, Sri Lanka, he said the team underperformed throughout the tournament and struggled to make decisions under pressure.

He added that both the captain and the coach would take responsibility for the defeat, noting that the selection and playing eleven were decided jointly.

The captain said the team selected the playing eleven based on conditions and discussed combinations with the coach. He stated that apart from Sahibzada Farhan, other batters did not perform consistently.

Salman Ali Agha said any decision regarding his captaincy at this stage would be emotional and that he would take a few days before deciding on his future.

He acknowledged Fakhar Zaman’s strong performance and said the team needed similar batting in the power play.

He added that planning for qualification to the semi-finals was discussed in advance, and selection decisions were based on earlier form.

Pakistan’s campaign ended in the Super 8 stage despite a five-run victory over Sri Lanka in a high-scoring match.

Pakistan posted 212 runs for eight wickets in 20 overs, while Sri Lanka finished on 207 runs.

However, Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or fewer to qualify for the semi-finals, which they were unable to do.

As a result, Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament.