Salman Ali Agha expressed his high hopes of leading Pakistan to victory in the 2026 T20 World Cup and also dreams of winning the 2027 ODI World Cup.
"I want us to win the 2026 T20 World Cup and then the 2027 ODI World Cup. Winning both World Cups is my dream; if it happens, I will be very happy," said Salman, Pakistan's T20I captain, on a podcast for the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Shaheen Shah Afridi is currently the captain of Pakistan's ODI team.
Salman offered insight into how his side might shape their squad for next year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will enter the tournament in decent shape, having enjoyed a successful run in the shortest format since Salman took over as T20I skipper earlier this year.
The Asian side recently triumphed in a home tri-series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, and Salman expects most of the squad that featured there to be part of the team for the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 next year.
"I don't think there will be any major changes before the World Cup; this will be the combination. All players have been given their roles, and we will move forward with these roles," Salman added.
"Six matches are left before the T20 World Cup, and we will have to play with consistency. We cannot make big changes in these six matches."
Three of those six matches are against Sri Lanka away from home in January, as the team finalizes its preparations for the T20 World Cup. Pakistan has been drawn in Group A alongside arch-rival India, the USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia.
If Pakistan sticks with the bulk of their tri-series squad, it will be welcome news for former skipper Babar Azam and key pacer Naseem Shah, who had earned recalls for those matches after a period out of favor.
Those performances in the tri-series have given Salman confidence that his team is building momentum under his captaincy, fueling his dream of helping Pakistan claim their second T20 World Cup title and first since 2009.
"We have played with this group for six months, and the results have started to come," Salman said.
"As of now, Pakistan will play the T20 World Cup under my captaincy. Senior players understand Sri Lankan pitches; the Sri Lanka series will also benefit new players ahead of the World Cup.
"The team is on the right track, but there is still room for improvement. We want Pakistan to reach the level where everyone hopes to see it."
