Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 27. Both sides will face each other in the final of the Continental Cup for the first time in 17 editions.
The controversy started during the group stage of the Asia Cup 2025 after skipper Suryakumar Yadav denied a handshake with Pakistan and dedicated the 7-wicket win to the Indian armed forces. The gesture left the Pakistanis fuming, prompting the PCB to lodge a formal complaint against the Indian team and match referee Andy Pycroft.
Addressing the matter of shaking hands, Pakistan skipper Salman Agha said he never saw this happening, even when the relations between the two nations were worse.
"I started playing U-16 in 2007. I never saw any teams not shaking hands. Even when Indo-Pak relations were worse, we still shook hands," Agha said during the pre-match press conference.
The Pakistani skipper also said he will not stop any of his players from expressing themselves in the final, as every individual has the right to express emotions.
Agha also acknowledged the baggage of pressure that comes when playing against India, and said that his team lost the last two games because they made more mistakes.
"The final brings the same pressure on both teams. We don’t care what the Indian media says. For us, it’s only about doing the basics right. Yes, I haven’t performed well and my strike-rate hasn’t been up to the mark. It’s not necessary to bat at 150 strike-rate but to play as per the demand of the situation," he added.
He further talked about the ongoing situation between the BCCI and PCB and said that they can’t control what’s happening outside and can only control the controllable, which is winning the 2025 Asia Cup.
