Salman Agha responded to the reports, saying he isn’t concerned and that Pakistan will simply follow the Asian Cricket Council protocol.
Salman Agha Dismisses Handshake Controversy, Focuses on Final
Pakistan captain Salman Agha addressed reports that India’s Suryakumar Yadav had skipped the pre-final captain’s photoshoot with the Asia Cup trophy. The ongoing tournament has seen India make a strong statement against Pakistan by refusing the traditional handshake at the toss and after matches, while extravagant celebrations and heated exchanges during the league and Super Four stages have further intensified the rivalry. On the field, however, India has dominated Pakistan in both encounters so far.
Reacting to the reports, Agha said the team will simply follow the Asian Cricket Council protocol and is unconcerned about India’s actions. “They can do whatever they want, we will just follow the protocol. The rest is up to them—if they want to come, they come, and if they don’t, we can’t do anything,” he told reporters ahead of Sunday’s clash.
The Pakistan captain dismissed all external distractions, emphasizing the team’s focus on cricket and winning the final. “We don’t focus on what we can’t control. Media talk, outside noise—we ignore it. Our goal is the Asia Cup. We came here to play good cricket, and tomorrow we’ll aim to win the final,” he added.
“India-Pakistan games always carry pressure”
India dominated Pakistan in both their encounters during the Asia Cup 2025, first in the group stage and then in the Super Fours, with opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy leading the way as the top-ranked batter and bowler in T20 cricket.
Following the Super Four clash, India captain Suryakumar Yadav suggested that the cricketing rivalry with Pakistan has diminished, citing India’s recent dominance over their neighbours.
However, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha insisted that the IND-PAK matches still carry immense pressure. He acknowledged that his team’s mistakes had cost them in previous encounters and stressed that minimizing errors would be the key focus in the Asia Cup final.
