The chill in relations comes in the wake of multiple recent controversies, including the Pahalgam terror attack, protests surrounding the World Championship of Legends, and a growing social media movement calling for an India-Pakistan cricketing boycott
(L-R) Salman Ali Agha, Rashid Khan, Suryakumar Yadav (Pic: X)
The stage is officially set for the Asia Cup 2025 as captains from all eight participating nations came together for the customary pre-tournament photo shoot at the Dubai International Stadium. The opening clash is scheduled between Afghanistan and Hong Kong at 8:00 PM IST on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, one particular aspect in the photo session did not go unnoticed, the evident distance between India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha.
Rashid Khan seated between India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Agha at the captains' PC. #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/ay2yifgmdJ
— Pratyush Sinha (@prat1204) September 9, 2025
During the photoshoot, Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan was notably positioned between Suryakumar and Salman.
The chill in relations comes in the wake of multiple recent controversies, including the Pahalgam terror attack, protests surrounding the World Championship of Legends, and a growing social media movement calling for an India-Pakistan cricketing boycott.
Meanwhile, during the photo session, all eight captains were seen raising their right fists in unison. Suryakumar stood out with his signature smile and a pair of sleek black aviators, while Salman maintained a composed expression. Rashid, positioned between the two, balanced the visual tension with a composed presence.
Also present in the frame were other team captains including Litton Das (Bangladesh), Muhammad Waseem (UAE), Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka), and the skippers of Oman and Hong Kong, all ready to make their mark in the regional tournament.
India enter as defending champions, and with Suryakumar at the helm, the men in blue are clear favourites. Their 10-3 record against Pakistan in T20Is, plus Pakistan dropping both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan due to form, makes this feel like a mismatch on paper, but one never knows with these fixtures.
The Asia Cup features eight teams split across two groups, with the top teams heading into a Super Four phase, with the final slated to be on September 28 in Dubai.
The Asia Cup 2025 will follow a two-phase format: an initial group stage followed by the Super Four phase, from which the finalists will be decided. The tournament will culminate with the grand finale on September 28.
India’s group stage opponents include Pakistan, Oman, and the UAE, setting the stage for high-stakes encounters, particularly the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan showdown scheduled for September 14.
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