In the Asia Cup 2025, the Suryakumar Yadav-led Team India defeated Pakistan for two consecutive times. Following the dominance and previous matches, the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said that the Indo-Pak games should not be considered as a rivalry.
Speaking on Suryakumar`s comments, Pakistan`s lead pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi said that it is the Indian skipper`s view, and the “Green Shirts” will look after it when they face their arch-rivals on the field again.
“That`s his view, let him say. When we meet (in the likely Asia Cup final on Sunday), we will see kya hai, kya nahi. Tab dekh lenge. We are here to win the Asia Cup, and we will give our best effort for that,” said Afridi.
In the second match against India, Pakistan`s pacer Haris Rauf and batsman Sahibzada Farhan had made specific gestures, which in return led to controversy among the fans.
Speaking about his teammates` gestures, Afridi said, “There is no specific plan to be aggressive; we have always been aggressive, from the time we started playing. This is how cricket is played, and the team morale is kept high”.
There are chances of witnessing the third face-off between India and Pakistan in the ongoing tournament. Both teams will likely clash against each other on Sunday, which will be the final of the ongoing continental tournament.
“We are not in the final yet; when we reach, we will think about it,” said the 25-year-old pacer.
After facing a defeat in the Asia Cup 2025 `Super Four` match against India, Pakistan secured a victory against Sri Lanka by five wickets at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
The “Green Shirts” will now take on Bangladesh in their upcoming match on September 25. On the other hand, the “Men in Blue” are all set to lock horns against Bangladesh on September 24, followed by the game against Sri Lanka on September 26. Abhishek Sharma will be the top player to watch out for in India`s matches.
The final of the Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled to be played on September 28 at the Dubai International Stadium.
(With PTI Inputs)