Salman Ali Agha’s unique century celebration, a special message for his son

Pakistani batter Salman Ali Agha made a memorable return to international cricket by scoring a brilliant century in the opening match of a tri-nation series against Sri Lanka. However, it was not just his batting that drew attention; his unique celebration upon reaching the century also became a major talking point among fans.

Some fans speculated that Salman Ali Agha adopted this celebration style to respond to his critics—following his loss of the T20 International captaincy and his exclusion from the Test squad—but the actual reason behind the gesture was quite different.

A Celebration Inspired by His Son

In the post-match press conference, Salman Ali Agha revealed that he performed the celebration for his son. He explained that his son often celebrates in this exact manner while watching cricket on television; consequently, he decided to mimic his son’s style after reaching his century.

Fourth ODI Century in 82 Balls

Against Sri Lanka, Salman Ali Agha scored 107 runs off 90 balls, an innings that featured 10 fours and one six. He reached his fourth ODI century in just 82 deliveries—the fastest century of his career to date.

A Resounding Comeback After a Difficult Period

In August 2026, following Pakistan’s 194-run defeat to England in the second Test at Lord’s, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recalled seven players—including Salman Ali Agha—back home on an urgent basis.

Subsequently, Salman Ali Agha participated in domestic cricket, where he played a massive, unbeaten innings of 300 runs in a President’s Trophy Grade-I match. Now, with a century against Sri Lanka, he has once again fully demonstrated his capabilities.