The anticipation for the India vs. Pakistan final at the Asia Cup 2025 was met with an unexpected development when India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, reportedly did not participate in the traditional pre-match trophy photoshoot in Dubai. This led to Pakistan’s skipper, Salman Ali Agha, being photographed alone with the championship trophy, an image that quickly ignited discussions and debate ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated showdown.
The image captured Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha posing alone with the Asia Cup trophy, a moment that followed earlier matches where players from both teams reportedly did not exchange handshakes.
When asked about the incident on Saturday, Agha responded with a diplomatic tone, downplaying its importance. “They are free to act as they wish; we will simply adhere to the established protocols. The decision rests with them. If they choose to attend, they will; if not, there is nothing we can do about it,” he conveyed to reporters during a pre-match press interaction.
Shifting focus from the controversy, Agha emphasized that his team’s attention remains squarely on the cricket itself. “We do not dwell on factors outside our control. Media discussions and external commentary are things we consciously disregard. Our singular objective is the Asia Cup. We came here with the intention of playing exceptional cricket, and tomorrow, we are determined to win the final,” he asserted.
This much-anticipated final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 28 will be the third encounter between these arch-rivals in the tournament. India has already secured victories in both prior matches, first during the group stage and again in the Super Four phase, giving them a psychological edge going into the championship match.
Looking ahead, Agha explained that Pakistan’s game plan would be highly adaptable to the match conditions. “I won’t disclose our specific strategy, but as I’ve stated, it will be dictated by the conditions. In our initial match, the pitch favored spin, so we opted to open with spinners. Later, when the conditions shifted, we utilized pace. It’s always about responding to the real-time dynamics of the game,” he elaborated.
He openly acknowledged the inherent pressure of an India-Pakistan fixture: “Yes, games between Pakistan and India always come with significant pressure. It would be disingenuous to claim otherwise. However, the reality is that our previous losses were due to us making more mistakes. In these high-stakes contests, the team that commits fewer errors typically triumphs. Our overarching goal for tomorrow is to drastically minimize our mistakes.”