Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan captain gives blunt message to India ahead of final

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha hailed his team as “special” after they pulled off a dramatic win over Bangladesh, saying such victories give him confidence that his side can defeat any opponent, including India, in the Asia Cup final.

Defending a modest total of just 135, Pakistan’s bowlers delivered a spirited performance to seal an 11-run victory in the Super 4 clash on Thursday, securing their first-ever Asia Cup final berth against arch-rivals India.

“If you win matches like this, then you have to be a special team. Everyone contributed really well. There are areas to improve in batting, but we’ll work on that,” Agha said during the post-match presentation.

The much-anticipated final will mark the third meeting between India and Pakistan in this tournament, after their encounters in the group stage and Super Fours.

“Very excited for the final. We know what needs to be done. We have the quality to beat anyone, and on Sunday, we’ll look to beat them,” Agha added.

He also praised Shaheen Shah Afridi, who earned the Player-of-the-Match award for his all-round display.

“Shaheen is a game-changer. He always delivers what the team needs. Very proud of him. We were about 15 runs short, but the way we bowled up front created pressure. With this kind of new-ball bowling, you usually end up winning,” Agha said.

Highlighting Pakistan’s improved fielding, he added: “We’ve been putting in extra sessions. Mike Hesson told us clearly – if you can’t field, you won’t be in the team.”