India, April 18 -- Salman Ali Agha has given Pakistan a clear glimpse of how he sees the next phase of his career. The national T20 captain said he is open to stepping away from the shortest format if that helps him prepare better for the 2027 ODI World Cup and Pakistan's commitments in the current World Test Championship cycle.

The remark comes at an important time. Salman was handed Pakistan's T20 leadership as the team looked to reshape its plans in the format, but the recent T20 World Cup only increased the scrutiny around both the side's direction and his own returns with the bat. That is what gives his latest comments extra weight.

"The World Cup is a long way to go, but yes, one has to think about managing one's schedule and work...