India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025: IND celebrate sans trophy after defeating PAK third Sunday in a row

World Cup-winning former India cricketer Syed Kirmani has criticised current players for "rude and arrogant" gestures on the cricket field. Kirmani said that the "current era of cricket was absolutely depressing to him" because the camaraderie that they used to share back in their playing days was missing.

He said he was getting messages from friends around the world asking him 'Indian team ko kya ho gaya hai? Yeh kya politics chal rahe hain on the field? (What has happened to the Indian team? what is this politics that are being played out on the field?)'

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In this Asia Cup, which took place months after the mostly aerial conflict between India and Pakistan, cricketers, administrators and top politicians of the two nations have tried to merge these two worlds. They have overplayed cricket’s significance and symbolism, writes Sandeep Dwivedi.

When victory on a cricket field is less about celebrating your own success and more about being hurtful towards others, lines get crossed. When the stakes are so illogically high, watching cricket ceases to be a pleasurable pursuit and becomes a nerve-jangling ordeal.

SANDEEP DWIVEDI WRITES: By treating cricket as war, India and Pakistan do the game a disservice

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has criticised the Indian cricket team’s gesture not to accept the Asia Cup trophy after defeating the Pakistan team by five wickets in the final on Sunday. The Indians had opted not to accept the trophy because they objected to Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi handing it to them. Naqvi is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and the country’s Interior Minister. Naqvi reportedly took the trophy with him. Malik said that the decision not to accept the trophy will “haunt” the Indian team.

“Just see how much pressure the players went through to win the Asia Cup. How much heat there was that they played in. They worked so hard. Why did they do all that hard work? To win the Asia Cup trophy, to win the tournament! And after they’ve worked so hard, you don’t even come to take the trophy,” chuckled Malik. “It was such a big achievement, and that too after such a close match. It’s a massive moment.”

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The BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has alleged the Pakistan board and Asian Cricket Council Mohsin Naqvi walked away with the Asia Cup trophy and the individual medals of the champion team after Team India refused to receive the silverware from him at the post-match ceremony. He further added that the BCCI would be registering a protest against Naqvi at the International Cricket Council meeting next month.

“We had decided not to take the trophy from the ACC chairman who happens to be one of the leading leaders of Pakistan. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy along with the medals. It is very unfortunate, very unsporting and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible. We are going to protest against this at the ICC conference in November,” Saikia said after India’s 5 wicket-win over Pakistan in the final, their third against the arch-rivals in this tournament.

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Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has criticised the Indian cricket team’s gesture not to accept the Asia Cup trophy after defeating the Pakistan team by five wickets in the final on Sunday. The Indians had opted not to accept the trophy because they objected to Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi handing it to them. Naqvi is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and the country’s Interior Minister. Naqvi reportedly took the trophy with him. Malik said that the decision not to accept the trophy will “haunt” the Indian team.

“Just see how much pressure the players went through to win the Asia Cup. How much heat there was that they played in. They worked so hard. Why did they do all that hard work? To win the Asia Cup trophy, to win the tournament! And after they’ve worked so hard, you don’t even come to take the trophy,” chuckled Malik. “It was such a big achievement, and that too after such a close match. It’s a massive moment.”

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The drama at the Asia Cup continued long after India beat Pakistan in a final-over thriller to win the title, reports Sandip G, The Indian Express' man on the ground in Dubai. Suryakumar Yadav’s team refused to accept the trophy from the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi. He's not just the ACC chief but also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and the country’s Interior Minister. With Naqvi insisting that he would give away the trophy, the ceremony was delayed by over an hour before it wound up without a trophy presentation.

The Indian players, it is understood, were ready to receive the trophy from Vice Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board Khalid Al Zarooni. But Naqvi refused to give in. As the delay dragged on, the trophy was taken away by officials.

According to sources, the immediate trigger for the Indian cricketers refusing to accept the trophy from Naqvi was his reposting of images on X — including one titled ‘Final Day’ in which Pakistan cricketers, including captain Salman Agha and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, are seen wearing flight suits with images of airborne fighter jets in the background. Earlier during the tournament, Naqvi had posted a picture of Cristiano Ronaldo depicting a crashing plane.

Pakistan cricket team captain Salman Ali Agha accused the Indian cricket team of “disrespecting” the game by refusing to shake hands with them in their three encounters at the Asia Cup, which saw the Men in Blue winning by five wickets on Sunday. Salman Ali Agha said in his post-Asia Cup final press conference that what happened in the tournament “was very, very bad”. The Indian team, which had not offered handshakes to the Pakistan team in all three encounters with their arch-rivals in the tournament, then also refused to accept the trophy from the Asia Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi. At one in the presser, a journalist confronted the Pakistan captain telling him that players shaking hands is not an official rule.

The tournament has seen a few instances of players from the two teams confronting each other. While there were not too many confrontational moments between India and Pakistan in the final, the media contingents from the two nations got into a disagreement in the middle of Salman Ali Agha’s press conference on Sunday after Pakistan’s defeat.

I get a slight start then gaadi band ho jaati hai, (the vehicle stops). It is not that I am not playing shots. I am playing shots too. I have not stopped anything. I can’t say that I have no form. I can only say that I am out of runs. So there is no pressure of captaincy. Now when you see Rohit Bhai, he has batted more openly in his captaincy. It is just that there will be a small hurdle and I will cross it. God has saved everything for the right time.

We were in the dressing room for an hour, talking and making fun of each other. A few had an early morning flight too. And then everyone made their own AI trophy. If we don’t get the silverware, it can’t define how we have played our cricket. We did well in all departments. Like Shivam (Dubey) took the responsibility in Hardik’s absence. Small players are made big like that. When you feed them and keep backing them. Until you throw them in the water, how will you know if they can swim in 10 feet depth or not.

It was 113 for 1 and they got 146 all out from there and then at the time of our batting, the partnership of Tilak and Sanju and the partnership of Tilak and Dubey. But if I have to point out one thing, then the bowlers who made a comeback, were 113/1 in 12-13 overs, after that they got 146 all out.

I don’t know what will happen next. Dilli abhi bahut door hai. I don’t know what will happen with Pakistan in the next game. Anyway we only play in multi-nation tournaments but whatever happens at that time, we will see. For now, this is the moment which we want to enjoy it.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has followed in the footsteps of his India counterpart Suryakumar Yadav in donating his match fees for families of Pakistani citizens that he claimed had died in ‘Operation Sindoor’ carried out by Indian armed forces.

“We, as a team, the whole team, we are donating our match fees to our civilians and our children who were affected in the Indian attack that happened (Operation Sindoor). We are all donating this to them,” Agha announced right at the end of his press conference almost as an afterthought while answering his last question.

During the pre-match press conference in Guwahati on Monday, ahead of India’s ODI World Cup opener, captain Harmanpreet Kaur recalled the only women’s series that was played at the venue. “We played in 2019, if I’m not wrong. Three T20s here. That time I wasn’t there as I was injured. But those were day games. Now we are playing day and night. I’m sure after so many years, conditions must have changed from what we played that time. But as I mentioned, because we have seen so much cricket on TV, Indian conditions always remain the same. The only thing which we have to keep in mind is the dew factor, because of the weather (very humid), and the lights will be on.” (Read more from Vinayakk Mohanarangan)

At the arrival area of Guwahati airport, flanked by brand endorsement banners of MS Dhoni and Sunil Gavaskar, there is a prominent display for the ICC Women’s World Cup, which kicks off in the city with a clash between India and Sri Lanka. And just as one exits, there is an even more prominent billboard for the tournament, featuring all eight captains, with dates listed out of the matches to take place at the ACA Stadium in Barsapara. But in the midst of these well-placed, welcome promotions for the marquee cricket tournament, one face is unmissable. That of Assam’s most prominent cultural icon, Zubeen Garg. With a city clearly still mourning – one localite says you’d never see Guwahati like this otherwise during Navratri – a cricket festival will begin on Tuesday. (Read more from Vinayakk Mohanarangan)

After Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf gave away 50 runs in his four overs, former Pakistan cricketers slammed him.

“We have to understand Haris Rauf – how many matches he has blown away at the end (“marwaa diya”). He shouldn’t be bowling the end overs. You remember the past world cups – har jagah isney maar khaayi hai (he has been smashed everywhere) … If he had bowled better, the scenario would have been different,” Yousuf said on Samaa TV.

An uproar has emerged in Pakistan cricketing circles after India’s refusal to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Pakistan cricket board’s president Mohsin Naqvi. Former Pakistan player Kamran Akmal has said that PCB should announce immediately that they will never play against India.

“Pakistan board should immediately say that ‘we should never play against India’. Let’s see what action ICC takes. What else evidence do you need after this? But the BCCI person is leading the ICC – how will he [Jay Shah] take any action? The other boards have to come together, say we can’t see this in cricket. Sports is not played at anyone’s home. If others don’t play them, then no money is going to come,” Akmal told ARY News.

“The earlier these things can be controlled, the better for everybody. A neutral body has to be formed without Pakistan and India, make a committee of Australian, South African, New Zealand and let them decide on what action to be taken about all that has happened in this tournament,” Akmal said.

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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi faced a barrage of criticism and ridicule on social media after the national team's third straight defeat to India in the Asia Cup, with calls growing for his immediate sacking.

Pakistan lost to India in Sunday's final, after which the Indian players refused to accept the winner's trophy from Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council.

"This ‘selected' Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, if he has any guts, should take notice against Mohsin Naqvi, who has destroyed Pakistan cricket in such a short time," senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Moonis Elahi wrote on X. “This shameless man feels no remorse, but those who installed him should reflect. He must be removed immediately." Former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair also lashed out, alleging Naqvi dropped Pakistan's top players, leading to team's three consecutive defeats at the hands of arch-rivals India.

"Pakistan's best batsman Babar Azam was dropped by this man. He also dropped Pakistan's best wicketkeeper batsman Rizwan, selecting instead players like Salman Agha and Harris. He destroyed our batting," he claimed.

Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan drew a political parallel, saying: “What Mohsin Naqvi is doing to cricket is exactly what Army Chief Gen Asim Munir is doing to Pakistan.” Others accused Naqvi of victimising genuine talent.

"He held a grudge against Amir Jamal for his #804 gesture (Imran Khan's jail cell number) and sidelined him permanently. What a pity,” wrote activist Sana.

Journalist Umar Draz Gondal said whether the Indian captain refused to shake hands or take the trophy from Naqvi, “the only answer is to defeat India in the stadium and shut their mouths.” He further alleged: "Cricket in Pakistan has already declined, just like hockey. Why? Because Naqvi was appointed through a slip from the ‘big boss' and became chairman only because he is their blue-eyed. No one can hold him accountable."

--- Press Trust of India

Pakistan players had "a lot to say" to Tilak Varma when he walked to the crease during the Asia Cup final which fired up the Indian batter to play one of the most defining innings of his career thus far.

Having lost early wickets, India were in a precarious situation when Tilak came out to bat. Considering the hostilities between the two teams, there was plenty said to Tilak as well but he kept his composure to produce a batting masterclass in a high-pressure scenario.

"I wanted my bat to do the talking. They were saying a lot of things I just wanted to respond with my bat. Now they are not visible on the ground," said Tilak in a chat with teammate Shivam Dube on BCCI.TV.

The 60-run stand between Dube and Tilak helped India win the Asia Cup with two balls to spare. Tilak remained unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls.

"I think my bat did the talking as well, they did not have much to say to me," said Dube in a light-hearted conversation.

Tilak added that the atmosphere in the stadium fuelled him to excel in a high stakes contest.

"The chants of Vande Matram in the stands gave me goosebumps. I just want to say Bharat mata ki jai," added Tilak.

--- Press Trust of India

Hardik Pandya was understandably “gutted” to have missed the Asia Cup final against Pakistan with a niggle but found comfort in the team's title triumph, saying said such tight chases will stand the side in good stead for the future.

“I was very gutted to miss the most important game, but the way the boys played was outstanding. They showed a lot of character,” Pandya said in a video posted by the BCCI.

“These games are going to help us in the long run where we will be tested, we will be put under pressure. The way we held our nerves was fantastic,” he added.

Pandya said this Indian side is learning fast to adapt to all kind of situations and conditions.

“T20 cricket is about that, come and dominate, play a fearless brand, and at the same point of time learn and adapt, I think this team is learning that,” he said.

The Baroda cricketer praised opener Abhishek Sharma for helping the team to start off the block in a blazing manner.

“Outstanding effort by Abhishek from the top — the way he played and the fearlessness he showed, half of the game he won for us in the Power Play itself,” he said.

--- Press Trust of India

“That win told an entire generation of young Indians that dreams need not be constrained by boundaries,” Tendulkar wrote. “The stories from that campaign, like Kapil paaji’s legendary 175 against Zimbabwe – a knock that might not have been televised but is immortalized, are etched in our memory as folklore.” (Read more)

“It is fair to ask a few questions, without in any way detracting from our victory. Was it right to break up the hugely successful opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, and relegate a three-time centurion to a middle slot where he was uncomfortable? Did Gill’s performances at the Asia Cup justify such a change? Would it not be better to restore Sanju to the place where he has shone for India, put Gill at number three, and have Surya take the number five slot instead?” (READ MORE)

The upcoming match between the India and Pakistan women's cricket teams in the ICC Women's World Cup is being played under a cloud of political tension, specifically focusing on whether the players will adhere to the customary handshake protocol. This match, scheduled exactly a week after the men's T20 Asia Cup final, is being hosted at the neutral R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo due to Pakistan's refusal to travel to India. With the men's team recently avoiding handshakes, all attention is on the women's teams, but according to sources, captain Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. have not received any official instructions from the BCCI, suggesting they will abide by the ICC event protocols unless told otherwise. (Read more from Vinayakk Mohanarangan from Guwahati)

“Trophy leke bhaag gaye woh (They ran away with the trophy).”

Speaking to The Indian Express, a day after leading his team to a thrilling Asia Cup final win over Pakistan, this was how Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav summed up the bizarre scenes that played out after the game in Dubai the previous night. (Read more from Devendra Pandey)

I will tell you the truth, I am not lying. I went inside the dressing room after 8-9 overs. I saw the match from inside. I was trying to sit everywhere. I was getting superstitious. I was walking here and there.

And by the time Tilak (Varma)and Sanju Samson’s important partnership was done, it felt better. When Dubey went to bat, I knew that he was capable of doing it. And Dubey and Tilak also had a good partnership. (Read Suryakumar Yadav exclusive interview from Devendra Pandey)

Tilak Varma's composed batting under immense pressure impressed former greats of the middle order like Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan. His solid knock of 69 off 53 showcased his talent and skill, which is attributed to his experience and the strong system that developed him as a player.

Speaking on 'Game On Hai' show of PTV Sports, former all rounder and middle order lynchpin of many chases, Shoaib Malik, was ungrudging in his praise calling Tilak's innings one of the finest he had seen off a middle order batsman. "He played such a solid knock in a final of the tournament. Bohot time baad aisi innings dekh ke mazaa aaya middle order batsman ki. (After a long time I enjoyed watching a middle order inning of any batsman)," Malik told PTV.

The former captain would dissect why and how Tilak worked. "Tilak Varma - if you see his normal strike rate beyond Asia Cup, it must be 160+ or 155 or something. Today he was operating on 130 strike rate. Why? Because he had a goal in front of him. Of chasing 147. Second goal was assessing the conditions. And respecting the conditions. He did that," Malik explained.

After Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf gave away 50 runs in his four overs, former Pakistan cricketers slammed him.

“We have to understand Haris Rauf - how many matches he has blown away at the end (“marwaa diya”). He shouldn’t be bowling the end overs. You remember the past world cups - har jagah isney maar khaayi hai (he has been smashed everywhere) … If he had bowled better, the scenario would have been different,” Yousuf said on Samaa TV.

Mohammad Yousuf’s gushed about India's match winner in the Asia Cup final after Pakistan lost by five wickets thanks to his batting efforts.

“Tilak Verma is such a skillful player. The way he batted under pressure - this is what is real talent. Here (in Pakistan) we call a player talent if he hits two big sixes. I have said it before, we in our country have love for the game but not (cricketing) sense. You have to understand the game,” Yousuf said on ARY News

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said he has never seen an instance where a ‘champion team is not given the trophy’ and insisted his side ‘deserved’ to get it after beating Pakistan in a tense Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday night.

In a charged-up post-match press conference, Yadav was asked about the dramatic scenes after the match, where the Indian players celebrated their win without receiving the trophy or medals, and about the timeline of events. Yadav was also asked about his poor form.

Excerpts from the interaction here and the full press conference video

Former Pakistan player Kamran Akmal has said that PCB should announce immediately that they will never play against India.

“Pakistan board should immediately say that ‘we should never play against India’. Let’s see what action ICC takes. What else evidence do you need after this? But the BCCI person is leading the ICC – how will he [Jay Shah] take any action? The other boards have to come together, say we can’t see this in cricket. Sports is not played at anyone’s home. If others don’t play them, then no money is going to come,” Akmal told ARY News.

“The earlier these things can be controlled, the better for everybody. A neutral body has to be formed without Pakistan and India, make a committee of Australian, South African, New Zealand and let them decide on what action to be taken about all that has happened in this tournament,” Akmal said.

At the post-match press-conference, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha accused India of "disrespecting the game" by not shaking hands and accepting the trophy form Mohsin Naqvi.

“What happened in this tournament is quite disappointing. They think by not shaking hands they are disrespecting us. No. That is a disrespect to cricket. Today also what they did, a good team doesn’t do that. The good teams do what we did, went and did the photoshoot alone and took the medals as well. Whatever they are doing with the game, I don’t want to use very harsh words but, to be very honest, this is very disrespectful to the game, not anyone else.”

At the post-match press-conference, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha accused India of "disrespecting the game" by not shaking hands and accepting the trophy form Mohsin Naqvi.

“What happened in this tournament is quite disappointing. They think by not shaking hands they are disrespecting us. No. That is a disrespect to cricket. Today also what they did, a good team doesn’t do that. The good teams do what we did, went and did the photoshoot alone and took the medals as well. Whatever they are doing with the game, I don’t want to use very harsh words but, to be very honest, this is very disrespectful to the game, not anyone else.”

For the third Sunday in a row, the Indian cricket team defeated Pakistan at the Asia Cup. This time, the match was closer than the previous two encounters as India's chase went into the final over. Tilak Varma, with an unbeaten half century, guided the Men in Blue home after the team found itself at 20/3 at one stage.

But the drama did not end after the Indian team clinched the final! The Indians refused to accept the winner's trophy from the ACC chief, who is also an interior minister in Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi.

Check out all the photos from a dramatic day

Here's what former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik had to say about the Indian team refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy from ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi.

“Just see how much pressure the players went through to win the Asia Cup. How much heat there was that they played in. They worked so hard. Why did they do all that hard work? To win the Asia Cup trophy, to win the tournament! And after they've worked so hard, you don't even come to take the trophy,” chuckled Malik. “It was such a big achievement, and that too after such a close match. It's a massive moment.”

“Look, today, they might be celebrating this thing like this. But down the line, after a few years, this will haunt them. They’ll think: ‘We won the trophy, we worked hard’. They are athletes and sportsmen. A sportsman's job is to come to the ground, give your best shot, and that's it.”

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Former Pakistan cricketer Bazid Khan criticised India for refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman who is also the country’s Interior Minister.

“This is a never-ending thing. India are not shaking hands. I think if the Asia Cup is to be run this way, what message is going out to the world that you are playing the tournament, everything is happening. And then the animosity is only increasing. This has never happened before. The Indians don't receive the cup. You generally had an idea that something of this kind would happen. But for the Asia Cup to happen that way... The very purpose of the Asia Cup is for all Asian teams to play together. On top of that, you specifically say that, no, if this person gives the trophy, we will not take it. And you also see that the presidency of the Asia Cup is also on rotation. So its basic purpose was always that Asian teams play amongst themselves and then basically compete with teams from the rest of the world. But now that purpose has been somewhat diluted. Diluted, or rather, it has ended because of the kind of things that are happening in cricket, in both teams, on the playing field, and after the match. It's a very strange situation, I don't understand it," Bazid said on the Game on Hai show.

After the first game between India and Pakistan at the Asia Cup ended with the Indians refusing the shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts, there was plenty of anger in Pakistan.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief and Pakistan's Interior Minister wanted the Pakistan team to boycott the tournament.

As Sandip G, The Indian Express’ man on the ground in Dubai, reports:

In Dubai, the relationship between the two sides turned sour after the no-handshake gesture. Subsequently, Naqvi supported a move for the team to boycott the rest of the Asia Cup. “If we had to go to boycott, which was a very big decision — the prime minister, government officials and lots of other people were also involved, and we got their full support. We were monitoring the issue,” he said during a press conference in Lahore. “We believe that politics and sports can’t go together. This is sports, and let it remain a sport. Cricket should be separate from all this,” he added

India captain Suryakumar Yadav has declared that he will donate his Asia Cup match fees to Pahalgam terror attack victims and armed forces.

Posting on X after guiding India to a victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, Yadav wrote: "I have decided to donate my match fees from this tournament to support our Armed Forces and the families of the victims who suffered from the Pahalgam terror attack. You always remain in my thoughts."

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Ravi Shastri, who was on air for Sony Liv during the Asia Cup final, slammed the delay in the presentation.

"It's ridiculous. Players are being made to wait for 45 minutes to lift the trophy or for that presentation ceremony to happen," Shastri said.

"The crowd's gone!" said his co-panellist Wasim Akram.

"It was a game worthy of a final. And then you hang around for 45 minutes after a game. Still not knowing what's happening," continued Shastri.

The delay had happened because the Indian team had refused to accept the trophy from ICC chief Salman Naqvi, who is also an Interior Minister back home in Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to India's victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final with three lines in one tweet.

#operationsindoor on the games field.

Outcome is the same - India wins!

Congrats to our cricketers.

Sandip G, The Indian Express' man on the ground in Dubai, reports: "The Indian players, it is understood, were ready to receive the trophy from Vice Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board Khalid Al Zarooni. But Pakistan's Naqvi, who is an Interior Minister back home, refused to give in. As the delay dragged on, the trophy was taken away by officials."

Sandip G continued: "According to sources, the immediate trigger for the Indian cricketers refusing to accept the trophy from Naqvi was his reposting of images on X — including one titled ‘Final Day’ in which Pakistan cricketers, including captain Salman Agha and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, are seen wearing flight suits with images of airborne fighter jets in the background. Earlier during the tournament, Naqvi had posted a picture of Cristiano Ronaldo depicting a crashing plane."

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ICC chief Jay Shah has congratulated the Indian cricket team for their victory at the Asia Cup.

"Congratulations to #teamindia on lifting the Asia Cup 2025! A proud moment for Indian cricket as Team India showcases excellence, consistency, and character on the biggest stage. Kudos to the players and support staff for a stellar campaign."

"I've never seen anything like this anywhere. I don't know where things will stop, if other teams will also start doing this. Hopefully that won't happen. Whatever happened in this tournament was very, very bad. Hopefully it stops at some stage somewhere."

About Pakistan skipping press conferences and India not receiving trophy: "No you have to look at who started all of this. If someone is president of ACC then he will be the one who give the trophy. About the press conferences, that happened after whatever they started on the ground. It's about something wrong happening with the game."

He did shake hands with me in the press conference at the start of the tournament and during the referee's meeting as well. But then he didn't do it when he came in front of the entire world. I guess he is following the instruction he has been given, which is fine.

"What happened in this tournament is quite disappointing. They think by not shaking hands they are disrespecting us. No. That is a disrespect to cricket. Today also what they did, a good team doesn't do that. The good teams do what we did, went and did the photoshoot alone and took the medals as well. Whatever they are doing with the game, I don't want to use very harsh words but, to be very honest, this is very disrespectful to the game, not anyone else."

"Those who understand cricket will talk about cricket, everything else is secondary. I don't know why these things are happening. But as far as cricket goes, I think we didn't bat well in this tournament and we know where we need to improve and we will just look at that."

"As a gesture from my end. I don't know if it will be a controversy or not, it shouldn't be, it's a good thing. I personally want to give my match fees of all the games which I have played in this tournament to the Indian army."

Suryakumar Yadav says that the team decided to not take the trophy from Naqvi on their own and there were no instructions from anywhere.

Let's see the positive side. Unbeaten in the tournament, boys stepping up whenever needed, those are the small small trophies that we won. We can't say we weren't disappointed but as you see, there were lots of smiles.

Suryakumar: The win is important. It was written on the big screen - "India - Asia Cup 2025 champions". Everywhere you see champions board, thats all we need. That is what we play for. Great campaign, great journey, we had fun.

This is one thing I have never seen that a champion not getting trophy. hard earned one we deserved it. Real trophies are my 14 colleagues. Those are the real trophies. will stay in my memory. Everywhere you see champions board, That's all I need. Great campaign great journey. We had fun. Whole country will be happy

Getting a car is always a pleasure. Getting into this team after winning the World Cup wasn't easy for any opener, I worked very hard on my game and you need the support of the coach and captain, I was getting that from the start of the tournament. If I get a start, my team should win. Sometimes you are going to fail but you have to follow the process. I had a plan if I get the spinners in the powerplay I will try to use the powerplay, even any premium fast bowlers, I would go from the first ball no matter who's the bowler.

It is a tough pill to swallow right now. We lost wickets while batting, we were outstanding with the ball but didn't have enough runs on the board. We didn't rotate strike and lost too many wickets. We have to sort out our batting very soon. They bowled outstandingly well, they (India) needed 63 from 6 overs and I thought we had the game. But the batting was what cost us the game. I am very proud of the team and there is so much to look forward to, we will work hard and come back stronger.

It was pressure. They were bowling well. They were mixing the pace up. I was breathing and trying to stay calm. Fantastic knock from Samson. The way Dube batted under pressure was helpful and important for the country. We have prepared for every position. You should be flexible. I was prepared to bat at any position. I was backing my game. When the wickets are on the slower side, I have talked to Gauti sir and have worked hard. One of the most special knocks of my life. This is for all the Indians.

Really enjoyed the pressure. Not played many Indo-Pak games but the pressure was there, I had to use my experience, calm my nerves, watch the ball and react. It came off nicely. I had a really good partnership with Tilak and enjoyed playing the game today. The game dictates what type of cricket you need to play. You have to respect the condition and situations. That is what we have learned after years and years of cricket in the IPL, years and years of playing cricket. That's what cricket was taught us. Was looking to time the ball and that is what has helped me. Close games are really good and that is when your character is tested. This game was really crucial just before the World Cup. These knockout games do help us prepare for the big games coming up few months later.

The coronation dragged on endlessly. India’s players and support staff waited impatiently for the ceremony to begin. By then, Pakistan’s players had vanished to the dressing room.

Pretty amazing. Whole tournament unbeaten and feels amazing. (on batting with Abhishek) We have played almost all of our cricket with each other. We know each other inside out and it's amazing to bat with him, he has been phenomenal this tournament. Takes the pressure off the non-striker. The conversation was to take it as deep as possible. The target was not much and losing three early wickets never easy but the way Sanju and Tilak batted and the way Dube hit those sixes was amazing. There wasn't much panic with 30 off 3 overs, but it was a slow wicket and the boundaries are bigger, the way both the batters batted, first soaking in the pressure and then hit it out of the park.

Of course (spin is still India's strength to win big matches). It's very important to bowl in the middle overs. And of course, we, Varun and Axar, playing together, obviously, it's a luxury to have. And everyone has a different role, you know. So, obviously, they started really well. After 10-11 overs, they were like 100 for 1. And we knew that if you get a couple of early wickets, and probably not early, but after that, after 10 overs, if you get a couple of wickets, then obviously, it's not going to be easy for a new batter to come and score runs easily. And obviously, when I was bowling the 4th over, I was looking to get them out. Before the game, he (Hari) just sent the screenshot of the lengths where you are going to bowl to the batters. And obviously, masterclass from Tilak. You know, he was unbelievable today.

I feel great. Definitely, at that time, I was going for the wickets, and Fakhar and Farhan were going well. And yes, I had done some plans, and it worked out in the way. But Kuldeep came and finished, yeah. It gave me memories of KKR when we were playing together. And he's always a star. He's one of the best spinners, yeah. Yes, if you see the trend in the last few matches, the first 10 overs, everyone is going berserk. And they don't lose wickets. So, after that, we knew that if we bowl on the right space, and right line of play, we can curtail them down. And obviously, I would like to mention Hari (team analyst). He is a guy who has done a lot of work behind the scenes. And due credit to him also.

Well, yeah, I thought, you know, the guys summed up the conditions of the ball quite well. A nice opportunity for Shivam Dube tonight to take that first over, to take responsibility. I thought he set the tone quite beautifully on that. And what a way to finish it with a bat. The spinners through the middle were certainly brilliant, I think. And Shivam Dube did a terrific job. Yeah, you know, I just thought it was something we've discussed, going into the tournament, and it might be an opportunity for him to use a new ball up front. And then, unfortunately, having injured him (Hardik) in the previous game, he had to step up, and I thought he did that beautifully. (On what he does with the team in the training sessions) Well, look, I mean, I think the sessions are very focused. The other guys know it's not that hard to go and get themselves ready for the games. And it was quite hot here in Dubai, so we had to manage that quite well. And towards the back end, we played a lot of back-to-back games, so to manage and recover well was key. And, you know, just to get ourselves maintained in a good space for a big final today. You know, we knew a bunch of stuff was going to come out. There was a lot on the line, obviously, in the final. And it was about the team putting all their nerves to rest. And I thought towards the back end there, our guys had a lot of experience, and Shivam also, just taking that partnership with Tilak deep was key.

Venkata Krishna B: Haris Rauf has already had a heartbreak moment against India at the MCG in 2022 when his penultimate over ended up swinging the game in favour of India, thanks to Virat Kohli. On Sunday, he had a chance to redeem, but his last three overs, especially his second proved to be the game changer - albeit unfavourably - as he conceded 17 runs that gave India the momentum going into the end overs. Though he bowled a relatively better third over, but Shivam Dube spoiled it by spanking the last ball for a six. And needing 10 to defend, Tilak Varma’s six off the second ball ended all of Pakistan’s hopes as Rauf went for 50 in his 3.4 overs, costing Pakistan the title.

Rinku Singh has ended the Asia Cup with a strike rate of 400 as he slammed the ball over the mid-wicket for a boundary. Has not been part of the side through the tournament, but he did exactly what the team needed when he was called upon to do with the bat. Congratulations to Tilak Varma, who is going to be the Player of the Match. In all fairness, a lesser side would have succumbed to the pressure applied by Pakistan for most of this game, but the Indian side has shown they have the temperament and smarts to pull off this game. A spare of thought for Pakistan, their performance with the bat was not quite up to the mark, but with the ball, this has been their best performance, but it just was not good against this Indian side. Congratulations to Team India for winning the Asia Cup. Do stay with us, we will be right back with the presentation shortly.

Faheem Ashraf has picked up the wicket of Shivam Dube here. It was a slower one into the surface, which Dube, instead of trying to cut the ball, tried to hit down the ground and was caught at long-off fielder Shaheen Shah Afridi. India needs 10 runs from the final over.

We have a delay here. Faheem Ashraf, who was supposed to bowl this over seems to have an issue with his legs here and is getting a bit of treatment in the middle. Well, how genuine it is, only he can answer. We have seen in the final of the 2024 World Cup when Rishabh Pant had to get treatment for an injury back then it broke the momentum of the South African batters, which induced a collapse, and India ended up winning the title. Will we have a similar impact? We have to wait and see. As of now India needs 17 runs from 12 balls, which is quite doable, but with the pressure of the final, this would feel more like 27. Well Ashraf is back on his feet and he needs to bowl a good over here. If he misses his mark he will be deposited in the stands.

The plan seems to be clear for Haris Rauf and the bowlers, who will bowl. They are going to throw the ball outside the off-stump and give nothing to hit on the leg-side. Both Dube and Tilak are quite brutal if the ball comes anywhere in their arc. The pressure is building on India here. The last over from Shaheen Shah Afridi was an economical one, and the one that Rauf is bowling to has been quite superb after the 17-run over he bowled. The pressure is slowly once again shifting onto India. It has been that sort of game, hasn't it, where the pressure through the evening has been swinging like a pendulum from one side to another. As we update, Dube has broken the boundary drought when Rauf came close to the stumps for the first time, trying to play the double bluff.

50 for Tilak Varma is a top-class innings. The pressure was on when he walked into the middle, but he has played superbly. The quality of the bowling up against Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf was right up there, but he weathered the storm and focused on building the partnerships instead of looking to power his innings through the middle overs. However, he will know the job is not done yet. India is close, but it will still take some calm nerves from him and Shivam Dube to get over the line. Pakistan, on the other hand, would be wondering where they lost this game with the ball and what they could have done differently To be fair to them, with the score they have put on to trouble this Indian batting order they have done a fabulous job.

Shivam Dube has walked into the middle for India. He filled in the role of Hardik Pandya quite nicely with the ball; now he has to deliver an innings that Pandya is accustomed to with the bat. The next 2-3 overs are quite crucial in this game. Haris Rauf still has three overs left, and it is going to go till the wire this game, the way things are going. Tilak Varma has slowed down significantly in this innings, but he can always pick it up. Tilalk has all the shots in the book for this stage of the game. His scoop and pick up on the leg, especially with the slower balls coming in, are going to be quite efficient in this phase of the innings. The longer this game goes, with India having a set batter in the middle, the pressure will be transferred onto Pakistan.

This has been a good partnership between Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma. The latter, especially the number of positions he bats for the Mumbai Indians, and for the Indian side, he probably has the adaptability to play in all T20 phases because of his experience, and once again today, the way he has constructed his innings and the pacing of the tempo have been quite impeccable. The pressure that was on India for a long time is now slowly and steadily being shifted back onto Pakistan. One thing though, India needs to be wary of here is having a set batter through the final overs of the innings. As we update, Sanju Samson has fallen here. It was a shot he was looking to play through the offside, which, got the outside edge straight to Farhan at point, who completed the catch. Well, just when India were making their way back into the game, India has lost another wicket here.

We are at the halfway mark of the innings, and India has managed to get 58/3, which might not look great, but it is way better than 20/3, which is what it looked like when Gill fell. India still from here on might end up winning this game, but there are a lot more questions for this side than answers. Suryakumar's captaincy has been quite superb through the tournament, but his batting ability has gone down sharply since he became the captain of the side after the 2024 World Cup. India has named Gill vice captain in the Asia Cup, who did not pull any trees either in this tournament. Abhishek and Tilak have been the only positives, especially with the bat, in this tournament, and if India aspires to defend their crown next year, plenty of work needs to be done especially in the batting department.

Abrar has not come into the attack for Pakistan yet, which is a bit of a strange choice from Pakistan. With the powerplay start they have got, they would have wanted to keep the attack on through the middle phase as well, but they have turned to Mohammad Nawaz and Haris Rauf. While Nawaz in the middle overs is an inevitable move, Rauf could have been preserved a bit later in the innings after the ball is completely scuffed up. Having said that, Salman Agha has been quite smart with his bowling moves in this tournament so far, and the bowling changes he has made today have worked quite well. As per India, Tilak and Sasmon are not bogging down under pressure and are looking to counterattack. There is nothing wrong with doing it, but it is important that they do it smartly, unlike what was happening in the first six overs. As we update, Sanju Samson has been dropped.

What a bowling effort this has been from Pakistan so far. The shots Indian batters have played in the first six overs would give a competition to the shots Pakistan has played in the second half of their batting innings. One good thing, despite the loss of three wickets for India, is that they bat long. Instead of going for a seamer, they have opted to go with an extra batter, and the way this chase has progressed for them, India might need all the batting resources they have available for them in this game. However, from this point, one batter has to play the anchor role. Tilak Varma earlier this year, during a similar chase against Chennai, pulled off a blinder of an innings against England, and today it is more or less the same situation. He has the shots and technique, but does he have the temperament to deal with the pressure of a final? We will find out.

Venkata Krishna B: In conditions where quick runs against the new ball were always going to be precious, the intention from the Indian top-order was on expected lines. They were going to hit the top-gear straight away. Pakistan were up for it. Instead of going all out pace, their seamers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf didn’t waste any time to read the conditions and brought out the cutters. It forced India batsmen to rush through the shots as Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav departed to slower deliveries giving Pakistan the start they desperately wanted.

This is going to be an interesting chase for India. Abhishek Sharma, with his ballistics, did the hard part in all the games in this Super Four, letting the middle order have that breathing space to get adjusted to the pace of the surface. But today India has to construct their innings quite differently. Tilak Varma is in the middle as of now for India, who has been the second-best batter for India in this tournament after Abhishek, and both he and Gill have to manoeuvre this powerplay and middle over post that smartly. Well, well, as we update, Shubman Gill has fallen and India have lost three wickets in the powerplay. It is Faheem Ashraf who got the wicket. It was a slower one on which Gill played his favourite shot on the leg-side and was caught at mid-on after a brilliant jump catch from Haris Rauf.

Suryakumar Yadav's rut continues. It was a slower one which he tried to hit over mid-off fielder and ended up looping it in the air, and Salman Agha dived forward and took a nice catch. Surya stayed at the crease just to get the confirmation from the third umpire if the fingers were underneath, and the umpire deemed it out as Agha had his fingers underneath. What a different attack Pakistan becomes when Shaheen Shah Afridi bowls well. It all started against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi earlier in the week, where he picked up a few wickets and started to find his rhythm, and from that point he only got better and better, and the way he bowled to Abhishek in that first over compared to the first two was indicative of the good form he is in.

Venkata Krishna B: In the previous match, Pakistan seamer Haris Rauf’s gestures on the field — where he implied a fighter jet crash in reference to Operation Sindoor — had handed him a match fee of 30 per cent by the match referee. While Indian players had stayed away from making any gestures in the previous two outings, on Sunday, after dismissing Rauf with a yorker for his first wicket of the night, Bumrah celebrated with a similar gesture, indicating a jet crash before the television cameras cut to a different frame. A tournament where political messages have been at the forefront, the final was no exception.

Abhishek Sharma has fallen here. It is Faheem Ashraf who slipped in a slower one away from Abhishek's arc, and the batter dragged the ball from the off-side into the leg-side and got the top-edge straight to the mid-on fielder. Abhishek has hardly failed in this tournament. His performances at the top have been a key factor behind India's success in this tournament, and now, with Pakistan scalping him, the other batters have to step up. Suryakumar Yadav, the skipper, has had a very ordinary tournament by his standards, and today he will be hoping to set that record right. The good thing for India is they are not chasing a 180, which it looked like at one point in Pakistan's innings. It is just 147, and all it requires is a sensible batting effort.

Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill are in the middle. And for Shaheen Shah Afridi, unfortunately, there is no margin for error yet again with the new ball today. If Abhishek can get the start he has been getting in this tournament, this game's result will be decided by around the 10th over.

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy

Pakistan (Playing XI): Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

With 309 runs from six innings already at the Asia Cup, Abhishek Sharma will be the man to watch out for in the second innings of the Asia Cup final against Pakistan when India comes out to chase later today. Abhishek has been one of the most devastating batters at the tournament in UAE over the past three weeks, having scored three back-to-back half centuries at the tournament against Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The question that the world is probably asking after watching the southpaw dismantle bowling attacks at will is: ‘what is Abhishek Sharma’s secret to being able to swing the bat so effortlessly?’ (Read more)

Bumrah picks up Nawaz, and that is Pakistan bowled out for 146. They have not even managed to bat out 20 overs of the innings here today. After the swing of momentum in this game, it is hard to see how Pakistan will recover from it when they come out to bat. The way they batted through after the 10-over mark has been quite shocking for lack of better words. As per India, one of the best things they did more than their bowling is that they took their catches when they came to them. Kuldeep and Varun, in their second spells, have been quite superb, and whatever little was left to do, Bumrah did. This should not be much of a chase for India to get these runs nevertheless, we have seen weirder things happen in this format of the game. Do stay with us, we will be right after a short break.

Haris Rauf has fallen. It is Jasprit Bumrah who got the wicket. It is his lethal yorker that did the damage. Pakistan will be kicking themselves with this batting effort they have put on after the 12th over. And as per India, this is a turnaround for the ages. Kuldeep Yadav has been quite superb in his second spell, where he picked up all four wickets. At the start of the innings, there were a few doubts on the combination Pakistan has picked up, and in the end, the way things have unfolded, it seems like Gambhir and Surya have got this right.

Faheem Ashraf has fallen here now. Kuldeep Yadav has picked up three wickets in this over. The Pakistan fans and Head Coach Mike Hesson would be tearing their hair apart with some of the shot selections Pakistan has made in the innings. Kuldeep has tossed it up nicely, and Ashraf saw his opportunity for a boundary and ended up giving a simple catch to the long-off fielder. From a position of posting around 180 on the board, Pakistan has now come to a situation where even batting out the overs seems hard. What a turnaround of a spell Kuldeep has delivered in this game.

Venkata Krishna B: Having bowled two expensive overs to start his day, where he conceded 11 and 13 runs, a lot was riding on Kuldeep Yadav in his remaining two overs. Being the X-factor option for the middle-overs, he had played a key role the other night against Sri Lanka. And given the ball back after Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma were taken apart, Kuldeep’s third over showed why he can’t be kept silent for long. With Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub counter-attacking, the left-arm wrist-spinner varied not just his length, but the line as well, forcing him to go off-side. With Kuldeep mixing the pace, it was always fraught with risk. And Saim paid the price, as he went for the cut, and couldn’t control it as it lobbed to the hands of Jasprit Bumrah at covers. Then skipper Salman Agha slogged at one needlessly, letting Sanju Samson take his second straight catch. 2-29 not too long after those two expensive overs, on the first ball of his last over.

Talat too has departed here. Pakistan has lost four wickets in quick time, well, correction, that is the fifth wicket which Kuldeep has picked up. Salman Agha danced down the track trying to whack the spinner on the leg-side and got the leading edge. The ball went high in the air, and Samson took the catch. As per Talat, he tried to take on Axar Patel, and he skied that, and Samson took that catch too. This is extremely poor batting from Pakistan. They have done all the hard work in the initial overs, and they are throwing it away with some extremely poor cricket and shot selection.

Fakhar Zaman has fallen here. That is a massive wicket in the context of the game. Varun Chakarvarthy is the man who got the breakthrough. It was once again the precision of his length with subtle variations in line that did the batter. The left-hander needed to play through till the 18th over, and with a couple of quick wickets, it was even more important from Pakistan's perspective he took the responsibility, but now the floodgates are open. This has been the pattern of these games. The new batters in the middle, Agha and Talat, need to play this smartly if Pakistan needs to get to a competitive total.

Mohammad Haris has been promoted up the order today, and he has fallen cheaply. It is Axar Patel who scalped the wicket. It was a tossed-up delivery from Axar, which Haris tried to play the inside-out shot, which he would have wished had gone a bit more squarer, but it went straight into the buckets of the long-off fielder. That is a couple of quick wickets for Pakistan. Time and again, we have seen at this venue in this phase of the innings, teams try to over-attack without new batters getting adjusted to the pace of the wicket and end up with a below-par total.

Kuldeep has been quite ordinary here today. There seems to be a pattern in his career where he finds it hard to get his rhythm in the finals of the games. We have seen him having an ordinary day in the final of the 2023 World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup final, and once again today he has been quite expensive. As we update well, what do we know? He managed to pick up a wicket, and it is Saim Ayub. It was a shot wide one asking to be put away, but Ayub hit it straight to Bumrah, who took a good low catch and ensured he did not spill it.

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: 31 off 25 balls is not the best of scores within the powerplay of a T20 for an opener who bats through the six overs. But even in that curious start, Sahibzada Farhan had managed to hit four fours and a six, two of those boundaries coming in the most expensive over of the powerplay off Jasprit Bumrah no less. But strangely enough, he had better momentum in his innings just as the fielding restrictions were relaxed. He hit the last ball of the seventh over for six, picked up a four next over too and then smashed a straight six off Varun Chakaravarthy in the 10th over. But the wily Indian spinner dragged his length back and Farhan missed out on converting the pull shot into six, as he couldn't the elevation. India's catching has been ordinary in this tournament, but Tilak Varma dealt with the ring of fire (the low floodlights around the roof of the stadium) impressively. The nature of the dismissal brought out a big cry of frustration from Farhan as she smashed his bat into the turf and walked off the field berating himself. It was some timely releif for India.

One thing Pakistan has had going for themselves in the tournament is their bowling, and on the day that matters the most, which is today, they are getting runs with the bat as well. Indian bowling has looked quite toothless today. They are definitely looking a bowler short. Although having said that, this is the passage of play when teams have usually been able to pull back games after the ball gets softer and hitting has become a bit tougher. Fakhar Zaman for Pakistan will be the key here. If he manages to bat through till the 17th or 18th over, they will put on a very good total.

Well, India has got the wicket here of Farhan. It is once again Varun's impeccable length that did the job. Farhan did slam the previous ball for a six, and this time Varun bowled it a bit more into the body of Farhan and pushed it a little quicker, and Farhan pulled it to the leg-side but could not get the timing right, and the ball went straight to mid-wicket fielder Tilak Varma, who took a good catch. Saim Ayub has walked into the middle; the stage is set for him to play a good, impactful innings. He has been terribly out of form in this tournament.

Farhan has got to his half-century here. He got one in the last clash these two sides met during the Super Four stage, and once again, he has played quite superbly here. This is an exceptional batting start for Pakistan in the final. Fakhar Zaman, who himself is an aggressive batter, has played quite sensibly here in the middle. He has let Farhan take the initiative while he just rotated the strike and supported this partnership. India has to find a way to pick wickets here, as the way Pakistan is batting, if they get to around 180, that will be a superb total in the final.

The last time these two sides met in the tournament, Pakistan did get hold of the Indian spinners, and it did take a bit of time for the likes of Varun Chakarvarthy and Kuldeep Yadav to alter their lines and lengths. And today, yet again, they have started quite well against the spinners, and India has a lot of thinking to do. The issue India might face today is that it is the third time the Pakistan side is playing these spinners, and they would have analyzed them better than what they have seen on the initial occasions; hence, we will see them play the tweakers a lot better despite the wicket being on the slower side.

Fakhar, too, has been quite cautious here with his start. Usually, he tends to take a bit more of an aggressive route early in the piece, but since becoming the opener, he has played more the role of a responsible opener, while Farhan has taken the bulk of the risk. This is a good start for Pakistan; it might not be one of those electric starts India gets, but with the batting line-up and their collapses Pakistan has seen in recent times, it is a solid start. And as we update, there is a change of strategy from Suryakumar Yadav. He has brought into the bowl Axar Patel for the final over of the powerplay, which Bumrah has been bowling through the tournament.

Every time India has played Pakistan in this tournament, Farhan has managed to make an impression in this game. He has already started well. Although India has been able to contain Pakistan for par totals on both occasions, they have not been able to contain Farhan. Bumrah up with the new ball tested him with a bit of good length stuff, which he has shown a bit of vulnerability coming into the tri-series ahead of the tournament for the deliveries which do come back in, and India have not been able to test him with those deliveries, which has to do a bit with conditions as well in Dubai.

Jasprit Bumrah has taken the ball from the other end for India, and he did slip in a slower one early in the piece. The kind of team India has selected for this game indicates a lot about how they are looking at the surface, and that slower one from Bumrah just in the opening over is indicative of the same point. Regardless of how they have perceived things with the lack of Hardik Pandya, it does look a bit incomplete. The attack and how Surya plays his cards in the final overs are going to be crucial. As per Pakistan, they have had a subdued start so far, which is quite usual here on this wicket.

Well, Shivam Dube would have thought of many things he would have wanted to do in the Indian colours, and in that entire bucket list, it will be interesting to see where his opening the ball will be. Nevertheless, he is doing it today. There is a bit of nibble for him to work with, which is always the case at this venue; however, with his pace, he is always susceptible to getting hit for a few in these initial overs with just two fielders outside the ring. But Suryakumar Yadav seems to be quite adamant about the stacking up of his overs.

The national anthems are done, and both the Pakistan openers are in the middle. The crowd is buzzing here in the stadium. Usually, we don't see it too often where Pakistan tends to play with a stable side throughout the tournaments, and one thing Mike Hesson has managed to do is bring in that stability. And for India, in the absence of Hardik Pandya, it is Shivam Dube who has the new ball for India.

I've played one opposition three times, so yeah, interesting is the word for me. (Bowling three overs in the powerplay) Yeah, it's a different role. The team has wanted to use me up front in three overs, so yeah, that's something which is very new for me as well because I've not been used to doing this role. I remember I did it in 2016 when I first came to the international side. So yeah, it's an interesting role. See, I'm happy to do whatever the team asks me to do and try to contribute to the best of my ability. (Speaking about India's phenomenal record) The team is looking ominous. I think at this moment, you don't look at reputation because I think IPL has helped a lot because all the youngsters in our team are very, very confident and they know they're very good. I remember when I came in 2016, I did have a conversation and, okay, you know, you're still trying to convince yourself. But all the other players that I see, they've played 5-7 games, but they're so confident. They know they're really good. They've played against the best bowling line-ups. They've dominated them. So I think that really helps to get them confidence and then they take the game forward as it comes. I think that's the key. (India-Pakistan's results in this tournament and pressure on today's game) Any game you start from zero, you take the confidence from previous games and you don't go too high, too low against any opposition. We've always maintained that. We've always felt like when we focus on our team, we focus on our strengths and our combinations, we usually do well. When we focus too much on the opposition, the other team, what they are looking to do, it doesn't really concern us. We look at ourselves. We do our processes. We tick our boxes.

No surprises that India opted to bowl. They have chased 8 times against Pakistan and won all those games. Pitch looks like a featherbed. There is less grass and it looks flat. Only thing is it might get a little slower because of the lack of grass. It is the same pitch used for both India-Pakistan games and India have chased both times. 170 in a final is like 180-190 in a league game. May not be match-winning but you can certainly put pressure on the opposition. India have strengthened their batting. Hardik is a tough pill to swallow because it's difficult to balance the side. He is an allrounder and influences the combination and that's why he should have been rested against Sri Lanka

Pakistan (Playing XI): Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy

Definitely happy to bat first. We are very excited and looking forward to this game. We haven't played a perfect game and hopefully we play one today. Same side. We have been playing on these pitches for a while and it will play the same.

We are looking to bowl first. It looks like a good wicket. The wicket gets better under lights. We have been batting well first but we would like to chase today. The groundsmen have done a terrific job with the wickets here and it will stay the same. The brand of cricket we have been playing for the last 5-6 games is pretty good and we would like to continue that. Unfortunately Hardik misses out due to a niggle, Arshdeep and Harshit also miss out. Bumrah, Dube and Rinku come in.

The part-time spinners are going through a long spell of bowling. Even Shubman Gill turned his arm over

could this be a sign of Hardik not playing?

Hardik has not done pretty much any warm-up. Then he is not someone who does elaborate warm-ups

either.

“First, catch better. Because if you have dropped a dozen catches in the tournament, it does not look good. And yes, it’s a cliche ‘catches win matches’. India has still won everything after dropping catches. So it seems like a futile thing that people used to say. But come the final, that’s one thing you want to rectify. You don’t want to drop too many catches,” Chopra said in a video shared by ESPNcricinfo.

“You can’t give excuses at this level. As a team, we have to definitely start catching those because we will be qualifying for the finals. We should be taking these catches, but definitely, if you ask me about rings of fire, it comes in the eye, something. It is a little bit of disturbance,” Chakravarthy had told reporters after India’s win over Bangladesh.

“In T20Is, dropping one catch can prove costly, and the Indian team is dropping three to four catches. They need to focus on fielding. There should be no margin of error in the final against Pakistan. Even if there is a problem, you should find a solution to it,” he added.

Hardik Pandya too logs in: Pings Sandip G from Dubai

“You should practice. What is the fielding coach doing? He should make them practice taking catches under the light. You are professional cricketers. You have to work hard and adjust to it. I agree that one or two dropped catches can happen in a match. But it has been happening consistently. I think Gautam Gambhir needs to focus on fielding,” Mishra said in an interaction with ANI.

Abhishek Sharma strides in to take a few throwdowns, quelling doubts that he might not be fit for the game: Pings Sandip G from Dubai

Suryakumar has been experiencing a downturn in batting fortunes since the end of the 2024 T20 World Cup. This year, he has scored just 99 runs in 11 matches at an average of 12.37 and strike rate of 110.00. He had seemingly got out of the funk in the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), scoring 717 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 167.91 and average of 65.18. However, his numbers either side of the tournament have been a pale shadow of what he has managed in the last five years or so.

Even an hour and a half before the game, there are more spectators that it had at the start of the Super Four game between India and Pakistan last Sunday.

“He needs to come out of this. We discussed in the commentary in the last match as well, as much as possible, try to play straight when you are not in form, especially against fast bowlers, but he got while playing a sweep against a spinner today. This team will become stronger if he gets his form,” Pathan observed.

“It wasn’t a bad day, rather it was a hard day at the office. The team navigated the pressure well, maintaining composure in the final overs while defending their total. The final over might have been slightly better if Harshit had bowled slower deliveries instead of relying on pace, but overall, the team’s ability to bounce back despite strong performances from Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka speaks volumes about their resilience and character,” Gavaskar said.

“It was a good wake-up call, that the team was stretched right down to the wire exactly what you need on the eve of a big final,” said Gavaskar on India Today. “Emerging victorious from such a challenge highlights the strength of this Indian team and the excellent temperament they possess. Facing a tough day before the final can actually be beneficial.”

“The way Arshdeep bowled, he proved again why we keep saying on this channel that Arshdeep is needed. Once more, he proved it. So, in many ways, if Hardik doesn’t play, India will have to play Arshdeep. So, for India, Hardik is necessary, but this is one of those situations where it could also be good, because Arshdeep will get played and can again show why he’s that important bowler for India,” he said.

“I’ll say this even with my glasses on! Even if you wake me up from deep sleep, my answer won’t change: Arshdeep must play. How many runs will the number 8 batsman make? Not too many, and you don’t need that many. And for the World Cup in six months, work on Arshdeep’s batting, work on Varun Chakravarthy’s batting, Bumrah can already hit a bit, decent bat swing. The batting coach needs to give more time to these guys,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’

“I’ve been playing cricket since 2007 professionally. I’ve never seen no handshakes between two teams. My dad is a huge fan of cricket and used to tell me about its history. He never told me about any game where there’s not been a handshake. I’ve heard it’s never happened before. When India-Pakistan games took place in even more tense situations, handshakes always happened. Not to have handshakes is not good for cricket. If someone wants to be aggressive, whether they’re from my team or their team, I have no issues with that, but you should shake hands at the end of it,” Agha said at his press conference.

“If someone wants to be aggressive on the ground, then why not. If you deprive a fast bowler of their aggression, then what’s left?” Agha said at the pre-final press conference. “Every player knows how to deal with their emotions. I give players license to react the way they want at the ground. As long as they’re not disrespecting anyone and stay within the line, I have no issues with that.”

The final will be critically decided by the opening duel between India's Abhishek Sharma and Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi. While Abhishek has dominated their previous encounters in the tournament, Afridi has rediscovered his form. If Afridi can get the key wicket of the high-scoring opener early, it will put immense pressure on India's less-consistent middle order, potentially giving Pakistan a decisive advantage in the championship match.

Tournament top-scorer Abhishek Sharma (309 runs at a 204.63 SR) is the primary engine of India's innings; his blistering starts in the Powerplay are essential because they dismantle the opposition's attack and provide a crucial cushion for India's inconsistent middle-order to settle into the match and handle the pitch's two-paced nature after the field restrictions.

The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has transformed into a high-scoring, batting-friendly surface, as shown by the recent 400+ run thriller, with the final expected to favor big hitters while offering some purchase to spinners. The weather will be very hot (up to 38∘C dropping to 33∘C) and though dew has not been a major factor, the prevailing trend of the tournament suggests the toss-winning captain will elect to chase.

After reaching the Asia Cup final unbeaten, are the all-conquering Indian team due for a defeat? Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar certainly thinks so. Even though Akhtar has spent the last few weeks criticizing Pakistan team's performances during his appearances on panel discussion shows back home, as soon as Pakistan qualified for the final on Thursday night after defeating Bangladesh, he changed track, showering praise on the team. He even said that they were good enough to defeat the Indian side in the Asia Cup final. For the record, the Indians have now defeated Pakistan twice in the Asia Cup, by seven wickets in a group stage encounter and a six-wicket win in the Super 4 stage.

But the results of the last two Sundays notwithstanding, Akhtar has urged Pakistan to forget about India's "hawa" (aura) and defeat them today.

“We need to break out of this mindset, break down the hawa (aura) that has been built around the Indian team, and go in with the same attitude we had today against Bangladesh. Take India on. That's the kind of attitude you need. And please remember we don't need to go in thinking we have to bowl 20 overs. No! we need to get them out. When you go out to get them out, even India will realize they have to fight to score runs and that they won't get any free runs,” Akhtar said on the Game On Hai show on PTV Sports. “Pakistan has to move beyond this, forget about India being the number one team. We have the number one fast bowler in Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf is as quick as anyone in the world today. So there's no issue if you go in with this attitude.”

The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has unexpectedly transformed from a slow surface to a batting-friendly one, as demonstrated by the high-scoring thriller on Friday where India and Sri Lanka combined for over 400 runs, with both teams scoring 202 and the match ending in a Super Over. For the final, expect this trend to continue, providing an ideal surface for big hitters, while seamers will likely struggle and spinners are expected to get some assistance in the conditions.

"There is always a lot of pressure on Pakistan and India when they play each other, and if we say that there is no pressure, then it is wrong"

"Shaheen is obviously an aggressive bowler that will try and knock you over. And Abhishek is not going to hold back. I think, so far, every time these two went head-to-head, we all as cricket supporters and fans are on the edge of our seats and that's great for the game. Yeah, so let's look forward to that on Sunday and enjoy the battle"

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya/Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

Sandip G, The Indian Express' man on the ground in Dubai for the Asia Cup, has this to say about the final today: "The final is the only match that matters in the Asia Cup. This has been a low-quality drag of a tournament, but it doesn't matter that India are unbeaten in the tournament, or they are on a eight-match unbeaten streak, or they comfortably beat Pakistan in the last two meetings; or that Pakistan are schizophrenic, or they are rebuilding, or they are no match, man-to-man, for India's glittering array of T20 personnel."

Ahead of the Asia Cup final, Pakistan cricket team captain Salman Ali Agha found plenty to lament about. He was unhappy with the Indian team, led by his Team India counterpart Suryakumar Yadav, refusing to shake hands with them in both their clashes so far at the ongoing Asia Cup.

Despite Agha's protestations, Yadav and Co are likely to continue their stance for the final today.

“I’ve been playing cricket since 2007 professionally. I’ve never seen no handshakes between two teams. My dad is a huge fan of cricket and used to tell me about its history. He never told me about any game where there’s not been a handshake. I’ve heard it’s never happened before. When India-Pakistan games took place in even more tense situations, handshakes always happened. Not to have handshakes is not good for cricket. If someone wants to be aggressive, whether they’re from my team or their team, I have no issues with that, but you should shake hands at the end of it,” Agha said at his press conference.

Sandip G, The Indian Express' man on the ground in Dubai, has a beautiful tale of two of cricket's most famous Superfans who are divided by borders but united by their love of cricket.

In the ongoing Asia Cup, tempers have frayed between India and Pakistan players on field> Handshakes have been refused, Players have eyeballed each other. Bats have been used as make-believe guns. Plane crashes have been mimicked. But Pakistan superfan Chacha Cricket, whose real name is Chaudhry Abdul Jalil, has been busy pacifying the fans.

“I just tell them, cricket is for love, not for fight… Support your country, respect your opponent. At least, the crowd listens,” he says, with a sardonic peal of laughter.

In the stands, Jalil is often seen with Indian cricket’s own superfan — Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary, a wiry man with a bushy moustache, his body painted in the Tricolour and ‘Miss-U Tendulkar 10’ inked on the chest.

On Sunday, when India and Pakistan square off in the Asia Cup final and the antagonism could once again spill onto the field, Jalil and Sudhir would be shaking hands, spreading love and celebrating their two-decade-long brotherhood that has blurred boundaries of all hues.

READ SANDIP G'S PIECE FROM DUBAI

A quick recap of India vs Pakistan clashes at the Asia Cup 2025 tournament, where the two arch-rivals have faced off twice.

India have defeated Pakistan twice so far in the Asia Cup, beating their neighbours by seven wickets in a group stage clash before claiming victory by six wickets in a Super 4 clash, where the Pakistan team tried to turn up the heat on Indian batters with their confrontational attitude.

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has named the one player that the Indian team should not --- MUST NOT! --- drop from today's XI for the India vs Pakistan final of the Asia Cup: left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh.

“I’ll say this even with my glasses on! Even if you wake me up from deep sleep, my answer won’t change: Arshdeep must play. How many runs will the number 8 batsman make? Not too many, and you don’t need that many. And for the World Cup in six months, work on Arshdeep’s batting, work on Varun Chakravarthy’s batting, Bumrah can already hit a bit, decent bat swing. The batting coach needs to give more time to these guys,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’.

The Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan will see plenty of records up for grabs for players. The finale will see India and Pakistan face off in the summit clash for the first time in tournament history.

For India's batting star Abhishek Sharma, there are plenty of records up for grabs, including those that belong to stalwarts of the game like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

What are these records?

Click here to read more

Pakistan cricket team captain Salman Ali Agha had defended the aggression of his pacers, particularly Haris Rauf, in the previous game against India in Super 4.

“If someone wants to be aggressive on the ground, then why not. If you deprive a fast bowler of their aggression, then what’s left?” Agha said at the pre-final press conference. “Every player knows how to deal with their emotions. I give players license to react the way they want at the ground. As long as they’re not disrespecting anyone and stay within the line, I have no issues with that.”

In the Super 4 game, Haris Rauf had mimicked crashing planes and also held up six fingers (to show 6-0) at the crowd, a dig based on Pakistan Army’s claim that it had shot down India’s fighter jets. Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi exchanged stares with Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.

For the third time in the 2025 Asia Cup, we have India taking on Pakistan in a cricket match. The Indian team has already defeated Pakistan twice already, once in the group stage and then in the Super 4. But now comes the all-important finale.

This is the first time in the tournament's history that India and Pakistan are squaring off in the final.