Ahead of the highly anticipated Asia Cup final, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif passionately reignited the debate surrounding the intense India-Pakistan cricket rivalry. He firmly believes that this fierce competition is inextricably linked to the political landscape between the two nations.
“There will always be rivalry. As long as there is discord, the cricket rivalry will endure. It will never truly end,” Latif emphasized on the eve of the crucial summit clash. He further added, “Yes, India will likely continue to win, and that’s not the issue. The rivalry, however, will always be present and continue to thrive.”
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi converses with India’s Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill during a match.
Latif also subtly criticized Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, who, following India’s victory against Pakistan in the Super Four stage, had suggested that the rivalry was no longer significant. “You (the media) should stop questioning the rivalry. If teams are playing 15-20 matches and the score is evenly balanced, then it’s a rivalry. But with a scoreline like 10-1 or 13-0—I don’t recall the exact figures—it ceases to be a rivalry,” Yadav had remarked on September 21.
Conversely, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha expressed strong confidence that his team has saved their finest performance for the final showdown. “There’s always immense pressure on both Pakistan and India when they face each other, and it would be dishonest to claim otherwise. Both teams will experience the same level of pressure,” Salman stated during the pre-final press conference in Dubai.
He continued, “We have made more mistakes than them, which is why we haven’t secured more victories. If we minimize our errors, we will win. The team that makes fewer mistakes will emerge victorious, and we are committed to doing just that. God willing, you will see us triumph tomorrow. Our goal is to play our absolute best cricket. We know that if we execute our plans flawlessly for all 40 overs, we are capable of defeating any team. That’s precisely what we aim to do.”
Rashid Latif further elaborated that the immense pressure surrounding this high-profile match would disproportionately affect India. “The disadvantage lies with India. They have everything to lose. Pakistan, on the other hand, has nothing to lose; they are already perceived as underdogs. Should Pakistan win, it would create significant repercussions for the BCCI and also for certain players who have been quite outspoken about this tournament—whether it’s the captain’s statements, the board’s stance, or even Shubman Gill’s social media activity. There will be considerable discussion surrounding such an outcome,” he observed.
Despite his strong opinions on the emotional aspect of the rivalry, Latif acknowledged India’s technical superiority. “India holds an advantage in terms of skill. They are better equipped to handle pressure. However, this is a T20 game, where anything can happen. Therefore, it promises to be a challenging match for both sides,” he concluded.