As Pakistan prepares for its first-ever Asia Cup final against arch-rival India, head coach Mike Hesson urged his team to stay laser-focused on cricket. He wants them to tune out the off-field drama that’s ramped up the tension between the two nations ahead of this high-stakes clash.
Pakistan’s pace stars Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf delivered fiery spells to secure an 11-run victory over Bangladesh on September 26 in Dubai. This win not only propelled Pakistan into the final but also set up the first India-Pakistan showdown in the tournament’s 41-year history. With so much buzz around political tensions and past border clashes like Operation Sindoor, expect emotions to run high as both sides battle for Asian cricket supremacy.
In the post-match press conference, Hesson kept it straightforward. "My message is just focus on cricket," he said. "That’s what we’ll do. You media folks probably know more about the outside stuff than I do—I stick to the game. There’s always passion in these big matches, right? We’re just here to play well."
The drama started in the group stage opener between India and Pakistan. India won easily by seven wickets, but controversy erupted when captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube skipped the traditional post-match handshakes with the Pakistan team. Suryakumar also didn’t shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Agha at the toss. After the win, he dedicated it to India’s armed forces, praising their Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-linked terror groups and showing solidarity with victims of the April Pahalgam attacks.
This sparked a feud between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC). The PCB demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft, accusing him of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct and the spirit of cricket by allowing the no-handshake situation. Pakistan’s captain skipped the post-match media duties, leaving Hesson to face the press.
The PCB dug in, canceling pre-match press conferences before games against the UAE and India in the Super Four stage. They even threatened to boycott the tournament unless Pycroft was out. Before the UAE match, players stayed cooped up in their hotel and arrived late to the stadium, delaying the game by an hour. A meeting followed between Pycroft and Pakistan officials, with the PCB claiming he apologized—backed by a silent video they shared.
Later reports from ESPNcricinfo revealed Pycroft only learned about the no-handshake plan four minutes before the toss, passed on by the Asian Cricket Council venue manager. He was just the messenger, not calling the shots.
Things heated up even more in the Super Four clash, a tighter contest that India won chasing 172 runs thanks to Abhishek Sharma’s brilliant knock. But Pakistan players stirred controversy with provocative gestures. Opener Sahibzada Farhan celebrated his half-century by mimicking firing a gun with his bat—a move that felt tone-deaf amid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions. Viral videos later caught pacer Haris Rauf firing up after dismissing Sanju Samson. While fielding near the boundary, he responded to Indian fans’ jeers—chants of "Virat Kohli!" referencing Kohli’s famous "Shot of the Century" sixes off Rauf in the 2022 T20 World Cup—by flashing fingers to signal "0-6." It seemed to mock Pakistan’s unproven claims of downing six Indian jets during the May border skirmishes after Operation Sindoor.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) filed an official complaint against Sahibzada and Rauf for their actions. The PCB fired back, accusing Suryakumar of politicizing the group-stage post-match talk.
Hearings took place with match referee Richie Richardson and BCCI reps present, according to ICC sources. Suryakumar might get off with a warning or a fine—possibly 15% of his match fee deducted.
Hesson reflected on the Super Four game as a big improvement from the group stage. "We were too passive early on and let India take control," he noted. "In the last match, we had them on the ropes for a while. Abhishek Sharma’s innings stole it from us, but otherwise, we were solid. We need to pressure India longer—maybe 10 overs with the ball after powerplay, not just a burst. That’s why they’re the top-ranked team."
He added that Pakistan earned this final shot and plans to seize it. "We’ve built toward winning a trophy in every game so far. The final is what matters. We’ll bring our A-game."
In the Pakistan-Bangladesh thriller, Bangladesh captain Jaker Ali chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Their attack struck early, crumbling Pakistan to 71/6 in 13.3 overs. Taskin Ahmed (3/28), Mahedi Hasan (2/28), and Rishad Hossain (2/18) dominated, with no Pakistan top-order batter reaching 20.
A gritty 38-run partnership between Mohammad Haris (31 off 23, with two fours and a six) and Mohammed Nawaz (25* off 15, with a four and two sixes) rescued Pakistan to 135/8. Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with 1/33.
Chasing 136, Bangladesh stumbled, losing three wickets for 44 in the powerplay. Shaheen (3/17) and Rauf (3/33) tore through them, reducing Bangladesh to 124/9. Shamim Hossain’s 30 off 25 (two sixes) fought back, but Rishad (16 off 11, two fours and a six) and Mustafizur (6 off 4, a four) couldn’t bridge the gap—they needed 51 off the last five overs. Bangladesh missed injured regular captain Litton Das badly.
Shaheen earned Player of the Match for his 19 runs and three wickets, setting Pakistan up perfectly for the India final.
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