India cancel Asia Cup 2025 final photoshoot with Pakistan

Courtesy of maintaining an unbeaten streak, India have secured their place in the Asia Cup 2025 final, set to be played on September 28 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the much-anticipated summit clash, a team they have already defeated twice in the ongoing tournament. Interestingly, both encounters have made more headlines for off-field controversies than the actual cricket, as India emerged victorious in both matches with relative ease.

Tensions flared after the group stage match on September 14, when the Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after the match. The gesture rattled the Salman Agha-led side, and in protest, the skipper boycotted the post-match presentation. Instead, head coach Mike Hesson represented the team in the press conference. The controversy escalated further as Pakistan threatened to withdraw from the tournament unless match referee Andy Pycroft was removed from officiating their next game against the UAE. However, the ICC stood firm and rejected Pakistan’s



demands.

In the second meeting between the two sides on September 21, India registered a dominant six-wicket win, and another no-handshake incident followed. This time, however, some on-field incidents also grabbed attention. The BCCI lodged an official complaint against Pakistani batter Sahibzada Farhan for his controversial celebration upon reaching his half-century, and against Haris Rauf for making provocative gestures while fielding.

Following a review by the match officials, Haris Rauf was fined 30% of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct. Farhan received a strict warning but escaped financial penalty. Meanwhile, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav was also fined 30% of his match fee for his post-match remarks on September 14, where he expressed solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam attack.

The three-week drama added a new chapter on Saturday, September 27, when India refused to attend the Asia Cup 2025 final photoshoot with Pakistan. It will surely add new dynamics to the match on Sunday, with India expecting to get the job done, like they have in the past two occasions.