Pakistan middle-order batter Salman Ali Agha explained that his hundred against Sri Lanka on Sunday was dedicated to his young son rather than serving as a message to critics, following Pakistan's 37-run victory at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
During Sunday's tri-series opener, Agha recorded his fourth ODI century to help Pakistan total 305 runs. Pakistan then limited Sri Lanka to 268 runs to secure the win.
Addressing reporters after the match, Agha rejected claims that his celebration intended to prove a point to anyone. "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. That was only celebration and my little son watches TV like this, so the [celebration] was for him," he stated.
This century followed a challenging phase for Agha. He captained Pakistan in the first Test against England, missed the second match, and was sent home during a significant squad overhaul that dropped seven players before the third Test.
Upon returning, Agha appeared in five matches for Kingsmen Academy within the President's Trophy Grade-I, opening with an unbeaten 300 against Markhor IT Solutions.
Sahibzada Farhan subsequently took over as Pakistan's T20I captain, and Agha missed selection for the T20I series against Sri Lanka, which Pakistan claimed 2-1.
At the press conference, Agha expressed frustration over the inadequate appreciation shown toward domestic cricket, arguing that achievements at that level deserve respect.
"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 remarked.
He also addressed former players who minimize domestic achievements on social media, emphasizing the difficulty of scoring in tough conditions.
"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," he continued.
Agha argued that athletes who reach the international stage through sustained domestic output merit proper acknowledgment, mentioning his own decade-long domestic career alongside Saud Shakeel and Saad Baig.
"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 noted.
"I think the time has come to give domestic cricket the respect it deserves," he concluded.
