The 2025 Asia Cup was about everything but cricket. Although the two heavyweights played out a nervy final in Dubai, cricket is not what anyone seems to talk about. Why so? Perhaps due to the controversies that marred this edition of the continental event. No one even cared about this eight-team tournament until the BCCI and its counterpart (the PCB) agreed to play together despite recent heightened cross-border tensions.&nbsp;India retaliated to the Pahalgam terror attack with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later, neutralising terrorists and their camps across PoK and Pakistan in precise air strikes, almost leading to a war-like situation. Although a mutual understanding between the two nuclear powers defused the usage of weapons, their relationship turned worse, with India cutting all diplomatic ties with Pakistan. However, what stood its ground was the agreement between the respective cricket boards to honour ICC’s international/multi-team events rules, leading to both sharing the same group.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-captain-salman-agha-vows-to-donate-asia-cup-fee-to-children-and-civilians-affected-during-operation-sindoor-1759151378882">PAK captain Salman Agha vows to donate Asia Cup fee to ‘children and civilians’ affected during Operation Sindoor</a> &nbsp;After days of chatter, rumours and hype around the IND-PAK match, the tournament got underway in the UAE. Five days since the start, the marquee game headlined for all good, bad and ugly reasons. Even though ‘Boycott IND-PAK’ was trending on social media, this match garnered fair attention, perhaps not just for cricket, but for plenty more reasons that only mattered.&nbsp; &nbsp;While Suryakumar Yadav also explained his team’s decision not to shake hands with the Pakistani players, he dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces for leading a successful Operation Sindoor. That, however, was the turning point as every India-Pakistan match (after that) became less about a cricket match and more about everything else. &nbsp;Come the next game in the Super Fours, emotions and anger flared. Several Pakistani players made uncalled-for gestures, including opener Sahibzada Farhan and seamer Haris Rauf. While Farhan’s ‘gun-fire’ celebration made headlines for the wrong reasons, Rauf’s ‘6-0’ gesture mocking the Indian fans in the stands turned things ugly. India won that game too by six wickets, but does anyone remember it? Maybe not! &nbsp;Returning to something that everyone liked more, the controversies, the BCCI took this matter to the apex body, and PCB also complained to the ICC about Suryakumar politicising India-Pakistan clashes. After a thorough review of all incidents, the ICC reprimanded those in question, while also warning all players against breaching its code of conduct.<h3>The final, drama and everything in between &nbsp;</h3>The grand finale of the 2025 Asia Cup was again not much about cricket but more about what happened before and after the game.&nbsp; &nbsp;Tilak Varma inspired India to beat Pakistan for the third time this edition; however, <a href="Chaos in Asia Cup Final: Relive THAT one hour which snatched all attention away from cricket">the one hour after Rinku Singh hit the winning runs was the highlight</a>. &nbsp;Not only did the Indian Team walk off without shaking hands with Pakistani players, but they also refused to collect the coveted Asia Cup trophy from the ACC president and PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the interior minister in the Pakistan government. &nbsp;The celebrations continued afterwards, but cricket seemed to have been forgotten. Not for long, though, as India will face the West Indies in the two-match Test series starting October 2 in Ahmedabad.

No one even cared about this eight-team tournament until the BCCI and its counterpart (the PCB) agreed to play together despite recent heightened cross-border tensions.

The 2025 Asia Cup was about everything but cricket. Although the two heavyweights played out a nervy final in Dubai, cricket is not what anyone seems to talk about. Why so? Perhaps due to the controversies that marred this edition of the continental event. No one even cared about this eight-team tournament until the BCCI and its counterpart (the PCB) agreed to play together despite recent heightened cross-border tensions. India retaliated to the Pahalgam terror attack with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later, neutralising terrorists and their camps across PoK and Pakistan in precise air strikes, almost leading to a war-like situation. Although a mutual understanding between the two nuclear powers defused the usage of weapons, their relationship turned worse, with India cutting all diplomatic ties with Pakistan. However, what stood its ground was the agreement between the respective cricket boards to honour ICC’s international/multi-team events rules, leading to both sharing the same group. Also read | PAK captain Salman Agha vows to donate Asia Cup fee to ‘children and civilians’ affected during Operation Sindoor After days of chatter, rumours and hype around the IND-PAK match, the tournament got underway in the UAE. Five days since the start, the marquee game headlined for all good, bad and ugly reasons. Even though ‘Boycott IND-PAK’ was trending on social media, this match garnered fair attention, perhaps not just for cricket, but for plenty more reasons that only mattered. While Suryakumar Yadav also explained his team’s decision not to shake hands with the Pakistani players, he dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces for leading a successful Operation Sindoor. That, however, was the turning point as every India-Pakistan match (after that) became less about a cricket match and more about everything else. Come the next game in the Super Fours, emotions and anger flared. Several Pakistani players made uncalled-for gestures, including opener Sahibzada Farhan and seamer Haris Rauf. While Farhan’s ‘gun-fire’ celebration made headlines for the wrong reasons, Rauf’s ‘6-0’ gesture mocking the Indian fans in the stands turned things ugly. India won that game too by six wickets, but does anyone remember it? Maybe not! Returning to something that everyone liked more, the controversies, the BCCI took this matter to the apex body, and PCB also complained to the ICC about Suryakumar politicising India-Pakistan clashes. After a thorough review of all incidents, the ICC reprimanded those in question, while also warning all players against breaching its code of conduct. The final, drama and everything in between The grand finale of the 2025 Asia Cup was again not much about cricket but more about what happened before and after the game. Tilak Varma inspired India to beat Pakistan for the third time this edition; however, the one hour after Rinku Singh hit the winning runs was the highlight. Not only did the Indian Team walk off without shaking hands with Pakistani players, but they also refused to collect the coveted Asia Cup trophy from the ACC president and PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the interior minister in the Pakistan government. The celebrations continued afterwards, but cricket seemed to have been forgotten. Not for long, though, as India will face the West Indies in the two-match Test series starting October 2 in Ahmedabad.

No one even cared about this eight-team tournament until the BCCI and its counterpart (the PCB) agreed to play together despite recent heightened cross-border tensions.

Now that the controversial Asia Cup is over, cricket can take precedence

In a startling development surrounding the recently concluded Asia Cup final between arch-rivals, Salman Ali Agha, the Pakistani captain, did a Suryakumar Yadav. In the post-match presser, Agha vowed that he and his team would donate their respective Asia Cup fee to the children and civilians affected during Operation Sindoor. Earlier, SKY also mentioned that he would donate his entire Asia Cup match fee to the Indian Armed Forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.&nbsp;&nbsp;“As a team, we have decided to donate our match fees to the civilians and children affected by India’s attack,” Agha said at the post-match press conference.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-country-s-leader-himself-bats-on-the-front-foot-suryakumar-yadav-heaps-praise-on-pm-modi-after-asia-cup-win-1759147475778'">'Country’s leader himself bats on the front foot': Suryakumar Yadav heaps praise on PM Modi after Asia Cup win</a> &nbsp;Earlier in April this year, several Pakistani-based terrorists killed 26 innocent lives in broad daylight in India’s Kashmir in the most barbaric attack on Indian soil since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. Devastated by this heinous crime, the Indian government retaliated with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later, neutralising countless terror camps across the PoK and Pakistan in precise air strikes.&nbsp; &nbsp;India’s decision to attack Pakistan’s air bases led to escalating cross-border tensions, with a war-like situation emerging overnight. A mutual agreement, however, led to a ceasefire, but the relations turned worse. &nbsp;While India did cut all diplomatic ties with Pakistan, the two concerned governments and their respective boards decided to honour the international/multi-team event rules by agreeing to play against each other in this continental tournament.&nbsp; &nbsp;Placed in the same group (Group A), India and Pakistan faced off three times in this edition alone, with India winning on all occasions. They won their group stage match by seven wickets, and later, clinched a six-wicket win in the Super Fours. Meanwhile, in the grand finale, the Men in Blue rose from an indifferent start, with Tilak Varma contributing massively during the chase, scoring an unbeaten 69 off 53 to help India stand tall by five wickets in Dubai.<h3>Team India refuses to collect Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi &nbsp;</h3>After Rinku Singh scored the winning runs against Pakistan in a nerve-racking final, plenty of drama unfolded that made headlines.&nbsp; &nbsp;Not only did the Indian Team walk off without shaking hands with the Pakistani players (for the third time in this tournament), they also refused to collect the coveted Asia Cup trophy from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be an interior minister in the Pakistan government and the chairman of the PCB. &nbsp;Upon learning about Team India’s stance, Naqvi also walked away with the trophy, with the Indian side celebrating their ninth Asia Cup triumph on the podium without holding the cup.&nbsp;

Earlier, SKY also mentioned that he would donate his entire Asia Cup match fee to the Indian Armed Forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. 

In a startling development surrounding the recently concluded Asia Cup final between arch-rivals, Salman Ali Agha, the Pakistani captain, did a Suryakumar Yadav. In the post-match presser, Agha vowed that he and his team would donate their respective Asia Cup fee to the children and civilians affected during Operation Sindoor. Earlier, SKY also mentioned that he would donate his entire Asia Cup match fee to the Indian Armed Forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. “As a team, we have decided to donate our match fees to the civilians and children affected by India’s attack,” Agha said at the post-match press conference. Also read | 'Country’s leader himself bats on the front foot': Suryakumar Yadav heaps praise on PM Modi after Asia Cup win Earlier in April this year, several Pakistani-based terrorists killed 26 innocent lives in broad daylight in India’s Kashmir in the most barbaric attack on Indian soil since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. Devastated by this heinous crime, the Indian government retaliated with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later, neutralising countless terror camps across the PoK and Pakistan in precise air strikes. India’s decision to attack Pakistan’s air bases led to escalating cross-border tensions, with a war-like situation emerging overnight. A mutual agreement, however, led to a ceasefire, but the relations turned worse. While India did cut all diplomatic ties with Pakistan, the two concerned governments and their respective boards decided to honour the international/multi-team event rules by agreeing to play against each other in this continental tournament. Placed in the same group (Group A), India and Pakistan faced off three times in this edition alone, with India winning on all occasions. They won their group stage match by seven wickets, and later, clinched a six-wicket win in the Super Fours. Meanwhile, in the grand finale, the Men in Blue rose from an indifferent start, with Tilak Varma contributing massively during the chase, scoring an unbeaten 69 off 53 to help India stand tall by five wickets in Dubai. Team India refuses to collect Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi After Rinku Singh scored the winning runs against Pakistan in a nerve-racking final, plenty of drama unfolded that made headlines. Not only did the Indian Team walk off without shaking hands with the Pakistani players (for the third time in this tournament), they also refused to collect the coveted Asia Cup trophy from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be an interior minister in the Pakistan government and the chairman of the PCB. Upon learning about Team India’s stance, Naqvi also walked away with the trophy, with the Indian side celebrating their ninth Asia Cup triumph on the podium without holding the cup.

Earlier, SKY also mentioned that he would donate his entire Asia Cup match fee to the Indian Armed Forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.&nbsp;

PAK captain Salman Agha vows to donate Asia Cup fee to ‘children and civilians’ affected during Operation Sindoor

Team India won the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, beating them by five wickets in Dubai on Sunday evening (Sep 28). Rinku Singh, playing his first game of the tournament, hit the winning runs as the Men in Blue clinched a victory in this nervy final with two balls remaining. However, what transpired after that stole all the attention as cricket seemed to have lost its place in line. Drama, chaos, boos, cheers and everything beyond marred a classic India vs Pakistan final, attracting a billion eyeballs and little embarrassment to the Men in Green.&nbsp;That one hour after Rinku’s one-ball heroics, plenty happened both on and off the field. While the winning team rushed to the dugout to celebrate with their teammates and the support staff, the dejected Pakistani side walked straight to their dressing room, locking themselves in.&nbsp; &nbsp;The Indian players, present at the ground, enjoyed their time taking selfies while giving interviews to the broadcasters, whereas there was no sign of the Salman Agha-led side coming out, leading to a delay in the presentation ceremony. &nbsp;However, it all began when the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/team-india-refuses-to-collect-asia-cup-trophy-from-pcb-chairman-naqvi-after-dubai-showdown-1759094746132">Indian Team denied receiving the coveted Asia Cup trophy from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi</a>, who also happens to be the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and an interior minister in the serving Pakistani government. Upon learning about India’s stance, the ACC held internal discussions to find a middle ground.&nbsp; &nbsp;A Times of India report suggests that the Indian Team requested to collect the Asia Cup trophy from Emirates Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, but that request was denied. Naqvi, however, insisted on handing over the trophy and winning medals to the Indian Team. The Men in Blue, who earlier stood their ground by avoiding a handshake with their counterparts across three contested matches in this edition, decided against receiving it from Naqvi.<h3>The boos and no-trophy celebration</h3>After much debate, the mandatory presentation ceremony got underway, with ACC head Naqvi among the guests present at the podium. The Indian fans in attendance booed him and the Pakistani players, who walked towards the stage to receive their runners-up medals. Chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ echoed across the Dubai International Stadium, with Salman hogging little attention by rudely throwing away the runners-up cheque. &nbsp;Following the mandatory announcements and prize distributions, with Indian opener Abhishek Sharma also receiving his Player of the Tournament award, presenter Simon Doull informed everyone about Team India’s decision not to collect their Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi tonight. &nbsp;"Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation," informs Simon Doull at the post-match presentation. &nbsp;Meanwhile, the Indian Team patiently waited to collect the trophy, even with a champion placard being brought twice (by the groundsmen), only for it to be taken back. Moments later, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya walked towards the podium (after Naqvi left the stage with the trophy without handing it over to the Indian Team), with his teammates joining him.&nbsp; &nbsp;The Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav also did a slow-mo celebration (without a trophy), inspired by former WWE champion Ric Flair’s walk, which Rohit also did after the Champions Trophy triumph.&nbsp;

Drama, chaos, boos, cheers and everything beyond marred a classic India vs Pakistan final, attracting a billion eyeballs and little embarrassment to the Men in Green.

Team India won the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, beating them by five wickets in Dubai on Sunday evening (Sep 28). Rinku Singh, playing his first game of the tournament, hit the winning runs as the Men in Blue clinched a victory in this nervy final with two balls remaining. However, what transpired after that stole all the attention as cricket seemed to have lost its place in line. Drama, chaos, boos, cheers and everything beyond marred a classic India vs Pakistan final, attracting a billion eyeballs and little embarrassment to the Men in Green. That one hour after Rinku’s one-ball heroics, plenty happened both on and off the field. While the winning team rushed to the dugout to celebrate with their teammates and the support staff, the dejected Pakistani side walked straight to their dressing room, locking themselves in. The Indian players, present at the ground, enjoyed their time taking selfies while giving interviews to the broadcasters, whereas there was no sign of the Salman Agha-led side coming out, leading to a delay in the presentation ceremony. However, it all began when the Indian Team denied receiving the coveted Asia Cup trophy from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and an interior minister in the serving Pakistani government. Upon learning about India’s stance, the ACC held internal discussions to find a middle ground. A Times of India report suggests that the Indian Team requested to collect the Asia Cup trophy from Emirates Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, but that request was denied. Naqvi, however, insisted on handing over the trophy and winning medals to the Indian Team. The Men in Blue, who earlier stood their ground by avoiding a handshake with their counterparts across three contested matches in this edition, decided against receiving it from Naqvi. The boos and no-trophy celebration After much debate, the mandatory presentation ceremony got underway, with ACC head Naqvi among the guests present at the podium. The Indian fans in attendance booed him and the Pakistani players, who walked towards the stage to receive their runners-up medals. Chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ echoed across the Dubai International Stadium, with Salman hogging little attention by rudely throwing away the runners-up cheque. Following the mandatory announcements and prize distributions, with Indian opener Abhishek Sharma also receiving his Player of the Tournament award, presenter Simon Doull informed everyone about Team India’s decision not to collect their Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi tonight. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation," informs Simon Doull at the post-match presentation. Meanwhile, the Indian Team patiently waited to collect the trophy, even with a champion placard being brought twice (by the groundsmen), only for it to be taken back. Moments later, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya walked towards the podium (after Naqvi left the stage with the trophy without handing it over to the Indian Team), with his teammates joining him. The Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav also did a slow-mo celebration (without a trophy), inspired by former WWE champion Ric Flair’s walk, which Rohit also did after the Champions Trophy triumph.

Drama, chaos, boos, cheers and everything beyond marred a classic India vs Pakistan final, attracting a billion eyeballs and little embarrassment to the Men in Green.

Chaos in Asia Cup Final: Relive THAT one hour which snatched all attention away from cricket

Team India refused to collect the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), late after the grand finale against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday (Sep 28). Team India defended their Asia Cup title in a nervy final against their arch-rivals, beating them by five wickets. Following the win, the Indian Team management informed the ACC and the broadcasters of its decision not to collect the trophy from Naqvi, with Simon Doull, the presenter, also announcing the same in the delayed presentation ceremony.&nbsp;Even though Abhishek Sharma collected his Player of the Tournament cheque, award and a car as a prize for his inspired performance, expressing ecstasy over India's win, the winning Indian Team did not collect the trophy from Naqvi tonight. They, however, walked to the podium to celebrate the ceremony, but without holding any trophy.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/operation-sindoor-on-the-games-field-pm-narendra-modi-lauds-indian-team-for-asia-cup-triumph-pakistan-1759090540452">‘Operation Sindoor on the games field,’ PM Modi lauds Indian Team for Asia Cup triumph</a> &nbsp;"Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation," informs Simon Doull, as quoted by Cricbuzz. &nbsp;Even though none of the concerned boards explained why the presentation ceremony was delayed, the latest reports indicate that Naqvi's firm stance of handing over the trophy to India despite knowing their decision led to the organisers failing to reach a middle ground. Naqvi, however, stood at the podium holding the trophy and had to leave with it after learning of Team India’s decision to boycott greeting its Pakistani counterparts.<h3>No handshake, trophy presentation? Why? &nbsp;</h3>Early in April this year, several Pakistani-based terrorists killed 26 innocent lives in broad daylight in India’s Kashmir in the most barbaric attack on Indian soil since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. India retaliated with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later, neutralising countless terror camps across PoK and Pakistan in precise air strikes, leading to heightened cross-border tensions.&nbsp; &nbsp;Although a mutual agreement led to a ceasefire, the Indian government cut all diplomatic ties with Pakistan; the two countries and their respective boards, however, agreed to honour multi-team commitments, resulting in India and Pakistan sharing the same group and playing thrice in the 2025 Asia Cup. &nbsp;Despite India and Pakistan facing each other as many as three times in this tournament, the Indian Team boycotted shaking hands with them.&nbsp;

Following the win, the Indian Team management informed the ACC and the broadcasters of its decision not to collect the trophy from Naqvi, with Simon Doull, the presenter, also announcing the same in the delayed presentation ceremony.

Team India refused to collect the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), late after the grand finale against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday (Sep 28). Team India defended their Asia Cup title in a nervy final against their arch-rivals, beating them by five wickets. Following the win, the Indian Team management informed the ACC and the broadcasters of its decision not to collect the trophy from Naqvi, with Simon Doull, the presenter, also announcing the same in the delayed presentation ceremony. Even though Abhishek Sharma collected his Player of the Tournament cheque, award and a car as a prize for his inspired performance, expressing ecstasy over India's win, the winning Indian Team did not collect the trophy from Naqvi tonight. They, however, walked to the podium to celebrate the ceremony, but without holding any trophy. Also read | ‘Operation Sindoor on the games field,’ PM Modi lauds Indian Team for Asia Cup triumph "Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation," informs Simon Doull, as quoted by Cricbuzz. Even though none of the concerned boards explained why the presentation ceremony was delayed, the latest reports indicate that Naqvi's firm stance of handing over the trophy to India despite knowing their decision led to the organisers failing to reach a middle ground. Naqvi, however, stood at the podium holding the trophy and had to leave with it after learning of Team India’s decision to boycott greeting its Pakistani counterparts. No handshake, trophy presentation? Why? Early in April this year, several Pakistani-based terrorists killed 26 innocent lives in broad daylight in India’s Kashmir in the most barbaric attack on Indian soil since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. India retaliated with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later, neutralising countless terror camps across PoK and Pakistan in precise air strikes, leading to heightened cross-border tensions. Although a mutual agreement led to a ceasefire, the Indian government cut all diplomatic ties with Pakistan; the two countries and their respective boards, however, agreed to honour multi-team commitments, resulting in India and Pakistan sharing the same group and playing thrice in the 2025 Asia Cup. Despite India and Pakistan facing each other as many as three times in this tournament, the Indian Team boycotted shaking hands with them.

Following the win, the Indian Team management informed the ACC and the broadcasters of its decision not to collect the trophy from Naqvi, with Simon Doull, the presenter, also announcing the same in the delayed presentation ceremony.

Team India refuses to collect Asia Cup trophy from PCB chairman Naqvi after Dubai showdown

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauds the Men in Blue for their record ninth Asia Cup title on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai. India beat Pakistan by five wickets in a nervy final to complete a hat-trick of wins over their arch-rivals in this edition, with PM Modi also mentioning how it is similar to India's win in Operation Sindoor. With plenty happening in the background surrounding these two nations, India and Pakistan facing off in this eight-team tournament was the biggest talking point; however, after both governments and their respective boards agreed to play each other, it all boiled down to on-field cricket, with Team India prevailing on all occasions.&nbsp;Taking to his social media handles, PM Modi posted,&nbsp; &nbsp;“#OperationSindoor on the games field.&nbsp; Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OperationSindoor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OperationSindoor</a> on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1972373287985401858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, following the Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Kashmir early this year, where Pakistani-based terrorists killed 26 innocent lives in the most barbaric attack on Indian soil since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, India retaliated with Operation Sindoor a fortnight later. A series of precise air strikes that neutralised countless terror camps across PoK and Pakistan led to escalating cross-border tensions between both countries.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-final-social-media-erupts-in-joy-as-tilak-varma-inspired-india-beat-pakistan-to-clinch-title-1759086274449">Asia Cup Final: Social media erupts in joy as Tilak Varma-inspired India beat Pakistan to clinch title</a> &nbsp;Although the Indian government severed all diplomatic ties with Pakistan, the BCCI and PCB agreed to honour their international commitments, with cricket getting underway in a hybrid model. While India emerged victorious by seven wickets in their first face-off since the Pahalgam terror attack, they also stood tall in their second head-to-head tie in this tournament in the Super Fours. In the grand finale, Team India was again successful in beating Pakistan, inflicting a five-wicket defeat on Salman Agha’s side.<h3>What happened in the final? &nbsp;</h3>India won the toss and elected to bowl first. Unlike on the past two occasions, the Pakistani openers got off to a brilliant start, with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman stitching an 84-run stand for the first wicket. Although Farhan completed his second fifty against India, none of the remaining batters provided any support as Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for just 33 runs. Crumbling under pressure, they got all out on 146 inside 20 overs. &nbsp;India, on the other hand, got off to an unlikely start, losing three wickets inside the Powerplay, with the top three returning cheaply. The middle-order, however, saved India’s grace, with Tilak leading from the front and helping his team cross the winning line.

India beat Pakistan by five wickets in a nervy final to complete a hat-trick of wins over their arch-rivals in this edition, with PM Modi also mentioning how it is similar to India's win in Operation Sindoor.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauds the Men in Blue for their record ninth Asia Cup title on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai. India beat Pakistan by five wickets in a nervy final to complete a hat-trick of wins over their arch-rivals in this edition, with PM Modi also mentioning how it is similar to India's win in Operation Sindoor. With plenty happening in the background surrounding these two nations, India and Pakistan facing off in this eight-team tournament was the biggest talking point; however, after both governments and their respective boards agreed to play each other, it all boiled down to on-field cricket, with Team India prevailing on all occasions. Taking to his social media handles, PM Modi posted, “#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”

India beat Pakistan by five wickets in a nervy final to complete a hat-trick of wins over their arch-rivals in this edition, with PM Modi also mentioning how it is similar to India's win in Operation Sindoor.

‘Operation Sindoor on the games field,’ PM Modi lauds Indian Team for Asia Cup triumph

Tilak Varma is the new Indian cricket hero, and why shouldn’t he be? His exploits against Pakistan in the nerve-racking 2025 Asia Cup final blew the internet away as India clinched their record ninth title. Tilak came to the crease when India had lost two key players in Abhishek Sharma and captain Suryakumar Yadav inside the first three overs. While Shubman Gill also departed soon after, leaving India in a tight spot in this run chase, how Tilak and the middle order bailed them out of trouble is inspiring.&nbsp;The social media erupted in joy, with who's who of the cricket world taking to the internet to laud Tilak for his heroic knock of an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-pak-asia-cup-final-kuldeep-yadav-scripts-history-becomes-highest-wicket-taker-in-asia-cup-1759080394082">IND vs PAK: Kuldeep Yadav creates history; surpasses SL legend for most Asia Cup wickets</a> &nbsp;Besides Tilak, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube played handy roles in helping India cut the deficit, with Rinku Singh, who came in for injured Hardik Pandya for the Asia Cup Final, hitting the winning runs.&nbsp; &nbsp;With this win, India completed the hat-trick of victories over their arch-rivals in this edition of the continental tournament.&nbsp; &nbsp;Check out the best social media reactions to India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup Final -

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">What a nerve-wracking game, truly befitting a final! India vs Pakistan, the stage doesn’t get any bigger than this and <a href="https://twitter.com/TilakV9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TilakV9</a> lit it up 🔥 Simply outstanding knock, holding the innings together under huge pressure and showing unbelievable maturity, then finishing it off with…&mdash; Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) <a href="https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1972393242256941285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In the end, INTENT always wins! 🇮🇳🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/fSSVfYa1ac">pic.twitter.com/fSSVfYa1ac</a>&mdash; Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) <a href="https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/1972387249368318462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳❤️ <a href="https://t.co/6OaaknFvhk">pic.twitter.com/6OaaknFvhk</a>&mdash; Tilak Varma (@TilakV9) <a href="https://twitter.com/TilakV9/status/1972377077111484529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A phenomenal victory. The fierce energy of our boys blew up the rivals again. Bharat is destined to win no matter which field.&mdash; Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1972380887951257805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> on lifting the Asia Cup 2025! A proud moment for Indian cricket as Team India showcases excellence, consistency, and character on the biggest stage. Kudos to the players and support staff for a stellar campaign. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvPAK</a>🇮🇳&mdash; Jay Shah (@JayShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayShah/status/1972380462564962403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝗖. 𝗛. 𝗔. 𝗠. 𝗣. 𝗜. 𝗢. 𝗡. 𝗦 🏆 A dominant performance capped by an unbeaten campaign 💪 Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> on winning <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaCup2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaCup2025</a> 🇮🇳 🥳 Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/0VXKuKPkE2">https://t.co/0VXKuKPkE2</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Final?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Final</a> <a href="https://t.co/n9fYeHfByB">pic.twitter.com/n9fYeHfByB</a>&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1972368654177313208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Champions 🏆 🚀 💪🏻 <a href="https://t.co/qHeTP12cov">pic.twitter.com/qHeTP12cov</a>&mdash; Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) <a href="https://twitter.com/yuzi_chahal/status/1972370451021353413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tilak on the forehead !!! Jai Hind 🇮🇳&mdash; Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riteishd/status/1972368827586683321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wow !!! What a game. CONGRATULATIONS to Team India 🇮🇳 for winning the Asia Cup ! Thank you Tilak, Shivam &amp; Kuldeep for this thrilling victory ❤️ Ting ! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indvspak2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indvspak2025</a>&mdash; Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) <a href="https://twitter.com/realpreityzinta/status/1972372826117361805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We have always known he was a fine young player but this is the making of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TilakVarma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TilakVarma</a>. Under pressure, this is a great innings&mdash; Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/1972368830338084881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Well done India on a great nite ..under pressure a much better team with the ball and then with the bat .. These young boys are brilliant .. <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bcci</a>&mdash; Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) <a href="https://twitter.com/SGanguly99/status/1972369238892625953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The social media erupted in joy, with who's who of the cricket world taking to the internet to laud Tilak for his heroic knock of an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls.

Tilak Varma is the new Indian cricket hero, and why shouldn’t he be? His exploits against Pakistan in the nerve-racking 2025 Asia Cup final blew the internet away as India clinched their record ninth title. Tilak came to the crease when India had lost two key players in Abhishek Sharma and captain Suryakumar Yadav inside the first three overs. While Shubman Gill also departed soon after, leaving India in a tight spot in this run chase, how Tilak and the middle order bailed them out of trouble is inspiring. The social media erupted in joy, with who's who of the cricket world taking to the internet to laud Tilak for his heroic knock of an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls. Also read | IND vs PAK: Kuldeep Yadav creates history; surpasses SL legend for most Asia Cup wickets Besides Tilak, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube played handy roles in helping India cut the deficit, with Rinku Singh, who came in for injured Hardik Pandya for the Asia Cup Final, hitting the winning runs. With this win, India completed the hat-trick of victories over their arch-rivals in this edition of the continental tournament. Check out the best social media reactions to India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup Final -

The social media erupted in joy, with who's who of the cricket world taking to the internet to laud Tilak for his heroic knock of an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls.

Asia Cup Final: Social media erupts in joy as Tilak Varma-inspired India beat Pakistan to clinch title

India will have their eyes on the Asia Cup 2025 title as they take on Pakistan in the summit clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday (Sep 28). In what will be the first meeting between the sides in an Asia Cup final, India have already got the better of Pakistan twice in the initial stage and will look to continue their flawless run on Sunday. For Pakistan, revenge can’t be sweeter as they will look to inflict an upset in the final.<h2>India hunt for glory</h2>India have so far endured a flawless run, having won all their matches in the tournament. The Men in Blue won all three matches in the group stage before winning Super Four matches against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Abhishek Sharma’s form has sparked India’s run in the tournament. If fit, he will enter the final on the back of three consecutive fifties. He is also the highest scorer in the tournament with 309 runs.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/5-players-with-most-runs-in-women-s-odi-world-cup-history-debbie-hockley-mithali-raj-janette-brittin-charlotte-edwards-suzie-bates-1757606297874">From Mithali Raj to Janette Brittin, 5 players with most runs in Women's ODI World Cup history</a>&nbsp;Fatigue could be a huge factor heading into the final, as India were stretched into a Super Over against Sri Lanka. Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma struggled with cramps on Friday against Sri Lanka and have less than 48 hours to prepare for the final. At the time of writing, there was no official word on the fitness of the duo as India prepare to hunt glory.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-women-s-odi-world-cup-2025-all-you-need-to-know-about-indian-women-s-team-schedule-squad-fixtures-and-more-1758556378933">Women's ODI World Cup 2025: All you need to know about Indian women's team schedule, squad, fixtures and more</a><h2>Pakistan eye revenge</h2>Sunday’s meeting will be the third time India and Pakistan meet in the Asia Cup 2025; India have won both previous meetings. The Men in Blue won by seven wickets on September 14, sparking a controversy by not shaking hands with Pakistani players and officials before another win followed in the Super Four. Pakistan head into the match with worries in the batting department as they only managed to score 135 against Bangladesh in the final Super Four clash.<h2>India vs Pakistan predicted XI for Asia Cup final</h2>India's probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah&nbsp;Pakistan probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India have so far endured a flawless run, having won all their matches in the tournament. The Men in Blue won all three matches in the group stage before winning Super Four matches against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. 

India will have their eyes on the Asia Cup 2025 title as they take on Pakistan in the summit clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday (Sep 28). In what will be the first meeting between the sides in an Asia Cup final, India have already got the better of Pakistan twice in the initial stage and will look to continue their flawless run on Sunday. For Pakistan, revenge can’t be sweeter as they will look to inflict an upset in the final. India hunt for glory India have so far endured a flawless run, having won all their matches in the tournament. The Men in Blue won all three matches in the group stage before winning Super Four matches against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Abhishek Sharma’s form has sparked India’s run in the tournament. If fit, he will enter the final on the back of three consecutive fifties. He is also the highest scorer in the tournament with 309 runs. ALSO READ | From Mithali Raj to Janette Brittin, 5 players with most runs in Women's ODI World Cup history Fatigue could be a huge factor heading into the final, as India were stretched into a Super Over against Sri Lanka. Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma struggled with cramps on Friday against Sri Lanka and have less than 48 hours to prepare for the final. At the time of writing, there was no official word on the fitness of the duo as India prepare to hunt glory. ALSO READ | Women's ODI World Cup 2025: All you need to know about Indian women's team schedule, squad, fixtures and more Pakistan eye revenge Sunday’s meeting will be the third time India and Pakistan meet in the Asia Cup 2025; India have won both previous meetings. The Men in Blue won by seven wickets on September 14, sparking a controversy by not shaking hands with Pakistani players and officials before another win followed in the Super Four. Pakistan head into the match with worries in the batting department as they only managed to score 135 against Bangladesh in the final Super Four clash. India vs Pakistan predicted XI for Asia Cup final India's probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah Pakistan probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India have so far endured a flawless run, having won all their matches in the tournament. The Men in Blue won all three matches in the group stage before winning Super Four matches against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Asia Cup 2025 final, Ind vs Pak Preview: Men in Blue hunt for glory as Pakistan eye revenge in summit clash

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha never saw two cricket teams not shaking hands after a game during his nearly two-decade professional career. Ahead of the marquee Asia Cup final against their arch-rivals India on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai, Agha broke his silence on the ‘handshake saga’ that made headlines earlier in the Asia Cup 2025. Considering sour geo-political relations between the two arch-rivals, Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian Team decided against shaking hands with Pakistani players after the side’s first face-off since the Pahalgam terror attack, irking the Men in Green.&nbsp;In the pre-game presser in Dubai, the venue for the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final, Agha recalls not witnessing such a thing (no handshakes) happen on the cricket field, even when relations between India and Pakistan were at their worst. Addressing this issue, he said that no handshakes are not good for cricket.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-pak-patriotism-rage-all-in-mud-as-leading-multiplex-chain-pvr-inox-to-screen-asia-cup-final-1758984965064">IND vs PAK: Patriotism, rage in mud as leading multiplex chain to screen Asia Cup Final</a> &nbsp;“As far as handshakes are concerned, I’ve been playing professional cricket since 2007 at the under-16 level. I’ve never seen two teams not shaking hands during a match. Even my father is a big cricket fan, and I’ve heard stories about the game from him. He never mentioned that two teams playing cricket didn’t shake hands. &nbsp;"India and Pakistan have faced each other before, even when relations between the countries were worse, and handshakes always happened. According to me, no handshakes are not good for cricket,” he said. &nbsp;Not only during the group game, which India won by seven wickets, but also after the India-Pakistan Super Four match, the Indian Team walked off the field without shaking hands with their counterparts. Although the handshake saga will continue to hog all the limelight, Agha remains adamant that his team’s focus is just on cricket. &nbsp;“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.&nbsp; &nbsp;Speaking on his team’s chances against India, against whom they haven’t won a single game in this tournament yet, Agha expressed confidence in his team’s chances. &nbsp;“Inshallah, you’ll see us winning. If we play our best cricket and execute for 40 overs, we can beat any team,” he said.

In the pre-game presser in Dubai, the venue for the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final, Agha recalls not witnessing such a thing (no handshakes) happen on the cricket field, even when relations between India and Pakistan were at their worst.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha never saw two cricket teams not shaking hands after a game during his nearly two-decade professional career. Ahead of the marquee Asia Cup final against their arch-rivals India on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai, Agha broke his silence on the ‘handshake saga’ that made headlines earlier in the Asia Cup 2025. Considering sour geo-political relations between the two arch-rivals, Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian Team decided against shaking hands with Pakistani players after the side’s first face-off since the Pahalgam terror attack, irking the Men in Green. In the pre-game presser in Dubai, the venue for the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final, Agha recalls not witnessing such a thing (no handshakes) happen on the cricket field, even when relations between India and Pakistan were at their worst. Addressing this issue, he said that no handshakes are not good for cricket. Also read | IND vs PAK: Patriotism, rage in mud as leading multiplex chain to screen Asia Cup Final “As far as handshakes are concerned, I’ve been playing professional cricket since 2007 at the under-16 level. I’ve never seen two teams not shaking hands during a match. Even my father is a big cricket fan, and I’ve heard stories about the game from him. He never mentioned that two teams playing cricket didn’t shake hands. "India and Pakistan have faced each other before, even when relations between the countries were worse, and handshakes always happened. According to me, no handshakes are not good for cricket,” he said. Not only during the group game, which India won by seven wickets, but also after the India-Pakistan Super Four match, the Indian Team walked off the field without shaking hands with their counterparts. Although the handshake saga will continue to hog all the limelight, Agha remains adamant that his team’s focus is just on cricket. “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. Speaking on his team’s chances against India, against whom they haven’t won a single game in this tournament yet, Agha expressed confidence in his team’s chances. “Inshallah, you’ll see us winning. If we play our best cricket and execute for 40 overs, we can beat any team,” he said.

In the pre-game presser in Dubai, the venue for the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final, Agha recalls not witnessing such a thing (no handshakes) happen on the cricket field, even when relations between India and Pakistan were at their worst.

‘Even when relations were worse…,’ Salman Agha breaks silence on ‘handshake saga’ ahead of Asia Cup Final

Just almost two weeks ago, social media was flooded with messages of ‘boycott India vs Pakistan’ game in Asia Cup 2025; and boom, a fortnight later, PVR INOX – a leading multiplex chain in India are screening the marquee final between at over 100-plus screens across the nation. Following the Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Kashmir early this year that shocked the nation, cricket fans decided to boycott watching India vs Pakistan matches in this continental tournament.&nbsp;Although rage and patriotism were peaking when the tournament began (with everyone caring the least about the ‘mother of all matches’), the dynamics changed quickly following the IND-PAK Super Four tie. The growing social media engagement reflected everyone’s interest in India-Pakistan matches, with PVR making it a grander affair by screening the Sunday final.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-these-filmy-reactions-k-srikkanth-bashes-harshit-rana-for-no-show-against-sri-lanka-in-asia-cup-ravichandran-ashwin-1758976751801">‘All these filmy reactions…,’ K Srikkanth bashes Harshit Rana for ‘no show’ against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup</a> &nbsp;Considering that the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final would attract a billion eyeballs, PVR INOX, in a strategic partnership with ITW Universe and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), decided to stream this marquee cricket match in 100-plus theatres across India; the tickets are available on bookmyshow.com.<h3>India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Final &nbsp;</h3>India and Pakistan will meet for the third time in this edition, in a first-ever Asia Cup Final on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai. Having topped Group A, which also included Pakistan, alongside two associate nations, Team India maintained their winning run in the Super Four stage. In three contested matches, the Men in Blue were always on the winning side, beating the three remaining teams across two venues. &nbsp;While India first beat their arch-rivals in their second group game in Dubai (by seven wickets), they clinched a crucial six-wicket win over the Men in Green during the Super Four tie at the same venue.&nbsp; &nbsp;A week later, after India and Pakistan qualified for the tournament’s finale, the two teams gear up for what is expected to be the most-watched cricket match of the year.&nbsp;

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, cricket fans flooded social media with the ‘Boycott IND-PAK' hashtag; however, a fortnight later, PVR-INOX are screening the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final across the country.

Just almost two weeks ago, social media was flooded with messages of ‘boycott India vs Pakistan’ game in Asia Cup 2025; and boom, a fortnight later, PVR INOX – a leading multiplex chain in India are screening the marquee final between at over 100-plus screens across the nation. Following the Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Kashmir early this year that shocked the nation, cricket fans decided to boycott watching India vs Pakistan matches in this continental tournament. Although rage and patriotism were peaking when the tournament began (with everyone caring the least about the ‘mother of all matches’), the dynamics changed quickly following the IND-PAK Super Four tie. The growing social media engagement reflected everyone’s interest in India-Pakistan matches, with PVR making it a grander affair by screening the Sunday final. Also read | ‘All these filmy reactions…,’ K Srikkanth bashes Harshit Rana for ‘no show’ against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup Considering that the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final would attract a billion eyeballs, PVR INOX, in a strategic partnership with ITW Universe and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), decided to stream this marquee cricket match in 100-plus theatres across India; the tickets are available on bookmyshow.com. India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Final India and Pakistan will meet for the third time in this edition, in a first-ever Asia Cup Final on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai. Having topped Group A, which also included Pakistan, alongside two associate nations, Team India maintained their winning run in the Super Four stage. In three contested matches, the Men in Blue were always on the winning side, beating the three remaining teams across two venues. While India first beat their arch-rivals in their second group game in Dubai (by seven wickets), they clinched a crucial six-wicket win over the Men in Green during the Super Four tie at the same venue. A week later, after India and Pakistan qualified for the tournament’s finale, the two teams gear up for what is expected to be the most-watched cricket match of the year.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, cricket fans flooded social media with the ‘Boycott IND-PAK' hashtag; however, a fortnight later, PVR-INOX are screening the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final across the country.

IND vs PAK: Patriotism, rage in mud as leading multiplex chain to screen Asia Cup Final

Pakistan seamer Haris Rauf was recently in the news for making controversial ‘war-related’ gestures during his team’s Super Four match against arch-rivals India in Dubai. Although the BCCI filed an official complaint with the ICC against him for his uncalled-for and insensitive gestures, Rauf returns to headlining social media following another viral video involving him. Unlike how he reacted to fans in attendance previously, Rauf smiled, consoled and even gave flying kisses to a fan (wearing a Pakistani jersey) who was screaming, ‘We want revenge; won’t spare India,' referring to Pakistan-India's first-ever Asia Cup final.&nbsp;Pakistan reached the Asia Cup 2025 final after beating Bangladesh in their last Super Four tie in Dubai by 11 runs, setting up a third face-off with India in this tournament alone on Sunday. Ironically, the arch-rivals will meet for the first time in the Asia Cup final.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/deserving-pakistan-ready-for-india-challenge-in-first-ever-asia-cup-final-head-coach-mike-hesson-1758860622060">‘Deserving’ Pakistan ready for India challenge in first-ever Asia Cup final: Mike Hesson</a> &nbsp;After the game, in which Rauf returned with three wickets, helping Pakistan beat Bangladesh to clinch a crucial win, he was seen sharing winning moments with the fans while shaking their hands. As he was doing that, a fan clutched his hand and screamed, ‘We want revenge; won’t spare India,’ with Rauf humbly smiling and consoling him.&nbsp; &nbsp;Watch Video –

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A fan told Haris Rauf after reaching the final: ‘India ko nahi chhodna, badla chahiye’ 😂 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/nyAdDNWtMM">pic.twitter.com/nyAdDNWtMM</a>&mdash; CineSportsX (@SportsCraft381) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCraft381/status/1971405956073562514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h3>What happened earlier?</h3>Against the Men in Blue in a Super Four tie in Dubai, the Indian openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma took Rauf to the cleaners, smashing him for fours in his first over in the Powerplay. Following a short-arm jab by Gill on Rauf’s last delivery of his first over, the Pakistani ace quick got into an ugly verbal brawl with Abhishek, who was standing at the other end. The umpires intervened to separate the two, with India’s Abhishek unleashing an attack on the opposition shortly after that. His match-winning 74 off 39 balls helped India beat Pakistan for the second time in this continental tournament. &nbsp;Moreover, during that match, Rauf, fielding near the boundary ropes, made some controversial gestures, mocking Indian fans, referring to rumours of Pakistan downing India's Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor. Alongside him, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan’s ‘gun-fire’ celebration also made headlines for the wrong reasons, with the BCCI taking this matter with the apex body.

Pakistan reached the Asia Cup 2025 final after beating Bangladesh in their last Super Four tie in Dubai by 11 runs, setting up a third face-off with India in this tournament alone on Sunday.

Pakistan seamer Haris Rauf was recently in the news for making controversial ‘war-related’ gestures during his team’s Super Four match against arch-rivals India in Dubai. Although the BCCI filed an official complaint with the ICC against him for his uncalled-for and insensitive gestures, Rauf returns to headlining social media following another viral video involving him. Unlike how he reacted to fans in attendance previously, Rauf smiled, consoled and even gave flying kisses to a fan (wearing a Pakistani jersey) who was screaming, ‘We want revenge; won’t spare India,' referring to Pakistan-India's first-ever Asia Cup final. Pakistan reached the Asia Cup 2025 final after beating Bangladesh in their last Super Four tie in Dubai by 11 runs, setting up a third face-off with India in this tournament alone on Sunday. Ironically, the arch-rivals will meet for the first time in the Asia Cup final. Also read | ‘Deserving’ Pakistan ready for India challenge in first-ever Asia Cup final: Mike Hesson After the game, in which Rauf returned with three wickets, helping Pakistan beat Bangladesh to clinch a crucial win, he was seen sharing winning moments with the fans while shaking their hands. As he was doing that, a fan clutched his hand and screamed, ‘We want revenge; won’t spare India,’ with Rauf humbly smiling and consoling him. Watch Video –

Pakistan reached the Asia Cup 2025 final after beating Bangladesh in their last Super Four tie in Dubai by 11 runs, setting up a third face-off with India in this tournament alone on Sunday.

Asia Cup Final: Haris Rauf smiles and consoles PAK fan who screams ‘We want revenge against India’ in viral video

Bowling great Shoaib Akhtar has urged the Pakistan Team to surrender their usual mindset in their quest to beat arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup Final on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai. Despite losing twice to India in this tournament thus far, Pakistan reached the final after beating Bangladesh by 11 runs in their last Super Four game. With plenty to play for in this high-octane clash, the Rawalpindi Express provided his insights on how they can undo the previous two outcomes to stand tall against the Men in Blue in the match that matters the most.&nbsp;While India first beat Pakistan by seven wickets in their Group A game in Dubai, they again emerged victorious in their Super Four match by six wickets. Seven days after that win, India will again face Pakistan for the third time this edition, in a first-ever Asia Cup final. &nbsp;On those two occasions, one Indian player troubled the Pakistanis – opener Abhishek Sharma. In the group stage game, the left-handed batter scored 31 during the chase and hit a match-winning 74 off 39 balls in the following clash in Super Fours. His style of play never allowed Pakistan to create any pressure on India.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/deserving-pakistan-ready-for-india-challenge-in-first-ever-asia-cup-final-head-coach-mike-hesson-1758860622060">‘Deserving’ Pakistan ready for India challenge in first-ever Asia Cup final: Mike Hesson</a> &nbsp;Taking a note of this, Akhtar, while speaking on the 'Game On Hai' programme, said, "Come out of this mindset; keep their aura aside. Just break their aura. Just play with this mindset that you had in the match against Bangladesh. This is the kind of mindset you need. You don't need to bowl 20 overs; you just need to get wickets.”<h3>‘They will be in trouble’</h3>Team India has been tested in this tournament, but not against Pakistan. However, if the Men in Green were to do it in the crucial Asia Cup final, they must at least do one thing - remove Abhishek inside the first couple of overs, as suggested by the pace sensation himself.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Mark my words, if Abhishek Sharma gets out in the first two overs, they will get in trouble. The starts they are getting, they are going to struggle if Abhishek gets out early. It's not like that, Abhishek will not mistime the ball; he will do that; you just need to go for the kill. If you come out fighting, India will realise that we have to work hard for our runs," Akhtar said.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, speaking on Gautam Gambhir’s approach, Akhtar said the India coach will push his team to bring their A game on the day.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I know Gautam Gambhir. He will tell his team that 'you need to bring your A game against Pakistan'. Pakistan will play the worst cricket, they will pick the worst side, but as soon as they reach the final, they play the best cricket, and they win the finals. It has happened so many times with us," Akhtar continued.

While India first beat Pakistan by seven wickets in their Group A game in Dubai, they again emerged victorious in their Super Four match by six wickets.

Bowling great Shoaib Akhtar has urged the Pakistan Team to surrender their usual mindset in their quest to beat arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup Final on Sunday (Sep 28) in Dubai. Despite losing twice to India in this tournament thus far, Pakistan reached the final after beating Bangladesh by 11 runs in their last Super Four game. With plenty to play for in this high-octane clash, the Rawalpindi Express provided his insights on how they can undo the previous two outcomes to stand tall against the Men in Blue in the match that matters the most. While India first beat Pakistan by seven wickets in their Group A game in Dubai, they again emerged victorious in their Super Four match by six wickets. Seven days after that win, India will again face Pakistan for the third time this edition, in a first-ever Asia Cup final. On those two occasions, one Indian player troubled the Pakistanis – opener Abhishek Sharma. In the group stage game, the left-handed batter scored 31 during the chase and hit a match-winning 74 off 39 balls in the following clash in Super Fours. His style of play never allowed Pakistan to create any pressure on India. Also read | ‘Deserving’ Pakistan ready for India challenge in first-ever Asia Cup final: Mike Hesson Taking a note of this, Akhtar, while speaking on the 'Game On Hai' programme, said, "Come out of this mindset; keep their aura aside. Just break their aura. Just play with this mindset that you had in the match against Bangladesh. This is the kind of mindset you need. You don't need to bowl 20 overs; you just need to get wickets.” ‘They will be in trouble’ Team India has been tested in this tournament, but not against Pakistan. However, if the Men in Green were to do it in the crucial Asia Cup final, they must at least do one thing - remove Abhishek inside the first couple of overs, as suggested by the pace sensation himself. "Mark my words, if Abhishek Sharma gets out in the first two overs, they will get in trouble. The starts they are getting, they are going to struggle if Abhishek gets out early. It's not like that, Abhishek will not mistime the ball; he will do that; you just need to go for the kill. If you come out fighting, India will realise that we have to work hard for our runs," Akhtar said. Meanwhile, speaking on Gautam Gambhir’s approach, Akhtar said the India coach will push his team to bring their A game on the day. "I know Gautam Gambhir. He will tell his team that 'you need to bring your A game against Pakistan'. Pakistan will play the worst cricket, they will pick the worst side, but as soon as they reach the final, they play the best cricket, and they win the finals. It has happened so many times with us," Akhtar continued.

While India first beat Pakistan by seven wickets in their Group A game in Dubai, they again emerged victorious in their Super Four match by six wickets.

Asia Cup Final: ‘Just break their…,’ Shoaib Akhtar tells Pakistan how to beat India

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson’s message to his team ahead of the marquee Asia Cup final against arch-rivals India is clear - concentrate on cricket, and try to keep the heavyweight Indian Team under pressure for the longest time. Pakistan reached the summit clash of this eight-team tournament following their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2025-updated-points-table-pakistan-set-up-final-date-with-india-after-beating-bangladesh-1758825161125">nervy win over Bangladesh in their last Super Four match</a> in Dubai on Thursday (Sep 25). Pakistani bowlers made merry while defending a low total, restricting Bangladesh 11 runs shy of 136 inside 20 overs, and with that, sealing their second win in this advanced stage.&nbsp;Watching things unfold in front of him, Hesson warned the defending champions ahead of the first-ever Asia Cup final between the two countries.&nbsp; &nbsp;Amid escalating tensions, India and Pakistan will face off for the third time in this T20 edition of the continental tournament, with the Men in Blue winning twice previously. While India clinched an easy seven-wicket win in their Group Stage tie, they emerged victorious by six wickets in their last outing in the Super Fours. &nbsp;With three days to prepare for the marquee India game, Pakistan’s head coach Hesson urged players to play their best cricket and avoid making controversial gestures, some of which made headlines lately. &nbsp;"Look, my message to the players is just focus on cricket, and that certainly we will be doing. In terms of gestures, there has always been passion in terms of high-pressure games," Hesson said. "We have to be good enough to put India under pressure for longer because there is a reason why they are ranked the top side in the world. We have to put them under pressure, and that will be our challenge." &nbsp;Looking back at the two India games, Hesson acknowledged opener Abhishek Sharma’s impact at the top, while also mentioning how Pakistan put up an improved show in the second outing despite the result. &nbsp;"I think the way we played against India in the last match was a huge step up from the first game," he continued. "The first game was a bit passive; we allowed India to control the game. The last match we had that game by the scruff of the neck for long periods, and it took an exceptional innings from Abhishek Sharma that took the game away from us." &nbsp;Sounding optimistic about doing well against India, Hesson said his team has worked hard to deserve a chance to play the final and win a trophy. &nbsp;"We have deserved this opportunity, so it's now up to us to make the most of it. We have been trying to be in a position to win the trophy,” he concluded. &nbsp;Meanwhile, India and Sri Lanka will face off in the last Super Four game of the Asia Cup 2025 on Friday (Sep 26).&nbsp;

For the first time in 17 editions of the Asia Cup, India and Pakistan will meet in a final.

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson’s message to his team ahead of the marquee Asia Cup final against arch-rivals India is clear - concentrate on cricket, and try to keep the heavyweight Indian Team under pressure for the longest time. Pakistan reached the summit clash of this eight-team tournament following their nervy win over Bangladesh in their last Super Four match in Dubai on Thursday (Sep 25). Pakistani bowlers made merry while defending a low total, restricting Bangladesh 11 runs shy of 136 inside 20 overs, and with that, sealing their second win in this advanced stage. Watching things unfold in front of him, Hesson warned the defending champions ahead of the first-ever Asia Cup final between the two countries. Amid escalating tensions, India and Pakistan will face off for the third time in this T20 edition of the continental tournament, with the Men in Blue winning twice previously. While India clinched an easy seven-wicket win in their Group Stage tie, they emerged victorious by six wickets in their last outing in the Super Fours. With three days to prepare for the marquee India game, Pakistan’s head coach Hesson urged players to play their best cricket and avoid making controversial gestures, some of which made headlines lately. "Look, my message to the players is just focus on cricket, and that certainly we will be doing. In terms of gestures, there has always been passion in terms of high-pressure games," Hesson said. "We have to be good enough to put India under pressure for longer because there is a reason why they are ranked the top side in the world. We have to put them under pressure, and that will be our challenge." Looking back at the two India games, Hesson acknowledged opener Abhishek Sharma’s impact at the top, while also mentioning how Pakistan put up an improved show in the second outing despite the result. "I think the way we played against India in the last match was a huge step up from the first game," he continued. "The first game was a bit passive; we allowed India to control the game. The last match we had that game by the scruff of the neck for long periods, and it took an exceptional innings from Abhishek Sharma that took the game away from us." Sounding optimistic about doing well against India, Hesson said his team has worked hard to deserve a chance to play the final and win a trophy. "We have deserved this opportunity, so it's now up to us to make the most of it. We have been trying to be in a position to win the trophy,” he concluded. Meanwhile, India and Sri Lanka will face off in the last Super Four game of the Asia Cup 2025 on Friday (Sep 26).

For the first time in 17 editions of the Asia Cup, India and Pakistan will meet in a final.

‘Deserving’ Pakistan ready for India challenge in first-ever Asia Cup final: Mike Hesson

For the first time in Asia Cup history, India and Pakistan will face off in a final. After beating Bangladesh in their last group stage match in Dubai on Thursday (Sep 25), Pakistan qualified for the men’s Asia Cup 2025 final. They will face the 12-time winners and the defending champions, India, in the summit clash on Sunday (Sep 18) in Dubai. With this win, Bangladesh joined Sri Lanka in getting knocked out of the tournament. Meanwhile, India and Sri Lanka will face off in the final Super Four match on Friday (Sep 26) in Dubai. The result of this time will not affect the points table standings.&nbsp;After losing to India on Wednesday, tired and clueless Bangladesh faced Pakistan the very next day in Dubai, only to fall shy of a moderate target (136) by 11 runs. While Pakistan’s batting also fumbled in the first innings, having lost five wickets inside 11 overs, their bowling compensated, restricting Bangladesh to 124 for nine in 20 overs.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-team-india-head-coach-ajit-agarkar-wants-no-repeat-of-new-zealand-series-result-in-2025-26-home-season-1758808773366">IND vs WI: Head coach Agarkar wants no repeat of ‘New Zealand series result’ in 2025/26 home season</a><h3>What happened in the match?</h3>Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first, a decision they did not regret until they failed as a batting unit while chasing. Picking three wickets inside the seven overs, including Saim Ayub on his fourth duck of the tournament, Bangladesh enjoyed early success. While the wickets kept tumbling at the other end, handy contributions from the lower order ensured Pakistan posted a fighting total. &nbsp;Like how Pakistan began their innings, Bangladesh got off to the worst possible start, losing their opener Parvez Hossain Emon on a duck. Two more wickets inside the Powerplay pushed Bangladesh back against the wall before another one in the eighth over had them on the floor. &nbsp;Shamim Hossain was the only bright spot on their team, but he even failed to inspire Bangladesh to cross the winning line as they fell shy of the target by 11 runs. &nbsp;India and Pakistan will face off in the first-ever Asia Cup final on Sunday in Dubai.<h2>Updated Points Table -</h2>Super Four<figure class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Mat</th><th>Won</th><th>Lost</th><th>Tied</th><th>NR</th><th>Pts</th><th>NRR</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>India (Q)</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>+1.357</td></tr><tr><td>Pakistan (Q)</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>+0.329</td></tr><tr><td>Bangladesh (E)</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>-0.831</td></tr><tr><td>Sri Lanka (E)</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>-0.590</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

India and Pakistan haven't met in an Asia Cup final before this. 

For the first time in Asia Cup history, India and Pakistan will face off in a final. After beating Bangladesh in their last group stage match in Dubai on Thursday (Sep 25), Pakistan qualified for the men’s Asia Cup 2025 final. They will face the 12-time winners and the defending champions, India, in the summit clash on Sunday (Sep 18) in Dubai. With this win, Bangladesh joined Sri Lanka in getting knocked out of the tournament. Meanwhile, India and Sri Lanka will face off in the final Super Four match on Friday (Sep 26) in Dubai. The result of this time will not affect the points table standings. After losing to India on Wednesday, tired and clueless Bangladesh faced Pakistan the very next day in Dubai, only to fall shy of a moderate target (136) by 11 runs. While Pakistan’s batting also fumbled in the first innings, having lost five wickets inside 11 overs, their bowling compensated, restricting Bangladesh to 124 for nine in 20 overs. Also read | IND vs WI: Head coach Agarkar wants no repeat of ‘New Zealand series result’ in 2025/26 home season What happened in the match? Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first, a decision they did not regret until they failed as a batting unit while chasing. Picking three wickets inside the seven overs, including Saim Ayub on his fourth duck of the tournament, Bangladesh enjoyed early success. While the wickets kept tumbling at the other end, handy contributions from the lower order ensured Pakistan posted a fighting total. Like how Pakistan began their innings, Bangladesh got off to the worst possible start, losing their opener Parvez Hossain Emon on a duck. Two more wickets inside the Powerplay pushed Bangladesh back against the wall before another one in the eighth over had them on the floor. Shamim Hossain was the only bright spot on their team, but he even failed to inspire Bangladesh to cross the winning line as they fell shy of the target by 11 runs. India and Pakistan will face off in the first-ever Asia Cup final on Sunday in Dubai. Updated Points Table - Super Four Team Mat Won Lost Tied NR Pts NRR India (Q) 2 2 0 0 0 4 +1.357 Pakistan (Q) 3 2 1 0 0 4 +0.329 Bangladesh (E) 3 1 2 0 0 2 -0.831 Sri Lanka (E) 2 0 2 0 0 0 -0.590

India and Pakistan haven't met in an Asia Cup final before this.&nbsp;

Asia Cup 2025, Updated Points Table: Pakistan set up final date with India after beating Bangladesh

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