Pakistan T20 captain Salman Ali has dismissed the growing debate over whether Afghanistan should be considered Asia’s second-best side, calling such comparisons meaningless and purely a matter of opinion.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Pakistan’s next assignment, Salman made it clear that he does not believe in ranking teams beyond official standings. For him, the true test lies only in what happens on match day.
“I think these discussions about who is the first or second-best team are just people’s opinions,” Salman said. “On what basis do you call a team first or second? Or good and bad? I never think about such things.”
Salman emphasised that what matters most is how teams perform on the field. “If you do not play well on the day of the match, then whether you are first or second makes no difference at all,” he added.
The Pakistan skipper also underlined his team’s focus on self-belief and performance rather than external perceptions. “People can give their opinions but we do not pay attention to that. Our job is to prove ourselves as the best,” he said.
“We must always think we are the best team in the world and keep playing with that mindset,” Salman concluded.
