A round-up of Sunday's action in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy group stage matches.
Having crushed Pakistan with consummate ease in the Asia Cup Super 4 match, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav urged everyone to stop calling the contests between the two nations a meaningful "rivalry."
The just-concluded Asia Cup was deeply saturated with off-field drama. But even amidst the bedlam, there were sparks of brilliance, emergence of new stars and tears of failure.
India's march to the Super 4 of the Asia Cup 2025 is all but confirmed, as the United Arab Emirates delivered a standout all-round effort to overpower Oman
IMAGES of the Asia Cup Final played between India and Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday
Suryakumar Yadav's childhood coach supports team India on handshake row
'One thing is for sure, Virat is the best player and best human being in Indian cricket history, respect.'
Pakistani batter Sahibzada Farhan also sparked debate with his 'gun salute' bat raise after a defiant fifty.
Tickets for the match on September 14 are in huge demand than for any other match. Most journalists are also arriving only in time for this match, even skipping India's opening match against the UAE on September 10.
Suryakumar fined 30 percent of match fee, India appeal verdict
T20I skipper Suryakumar's hearing following PCB complaint done in presence of match-referee, board representatives: ICC sources
Suryakumar also gave due credit to Rohit Sharma for teaching him the tricks of the leadership trade.
Former BCCI president and batting great Sourav Ganguly on Monday side-stepped the debate surrounding Indian players' refusal to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after their Asia Cup clash in Dubai but said terrorism must end "all around the world, not just India and Pakistan."
Suryakumar Yadav has struggled for runs recently in T20 Internationals, having tallied just 54 runs in his last eight innings without a single half-century.
Mumbai off to flourishing start in SMAT, beat Railways by 7 wickets
YIndia's batting unit includes Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who can all open the innings. Jaiswal will only be drafted in if one of them is ruled out due to injury. Similarly, Prasidh Krishna could only come into contention if there is an issue with Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, or Harshit Rana.
Cricket's rulebook struck again in a bizarre Asia Cup Super Over moment between India and Sri Lanka, leaving fans stunned as Dasun Shanaka survived what looked like a certain run-out.
The former India batter made a shocking disclosure that the boundary rope was pushed by the broadcasters for their on-ground show during the innings break, which indirectly benefitted the Indians.
The Indian skipper said that the wicket today was much better from a batting point of view.
'We cannot deny that Pakistan also played brilliantly.'
As Farhan reached his fifty, lofting Axar Patel for a massive six over mid-wicket, he pulled off a gun-firing celebration with his bat, adding another layer of intrigue to an already electric rivalry.
'They are forced because the BCCI has agreed to it.'
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has issued fresh guidelines barring journalists from asking political questions at press conferences in an apparent bid to diffuse the volatile situation that has persisted since the India-Pakistan match last Sunday.
The alarming part is in 10 innings, Suryakumar Yadav has managed only 10 fours and three sixes and dot ball percentage has gone up to nearly 48, translating to five dot balls in every delivery.
India will be keen to get the job done against Bangladesh and seal their place in Sunday's final before considering resting their players.
Josh Hazlewood clinically dismantled a famed Indian top-order with a probing spell to kill the contest as Australia cantered to a four-wicket victory in the second T20 International.
The Pakistan Cricket Board claimed that match referee Andy Pycroft apologised to its national team for prohibiting the handshake between Indian and Pakistani players.
This final was filled with unusual happenings, and one that will stand out is India coach Gautam Gambhir seen smiling for a change!
Surya walks into a scenario where, in cricket-crazy India, losses to most teams are tolerated, but a defeat to Pakistan is rarely forgiven.
'How many runs India will win or how many wickets it will win is the question.'
Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the PCB chief, walked away with the Asia Cup trophy after India refused to take the silverware from his hands.
PCB files complaint against India pacer Arshdeep Singh
In a post on X, Naqvi rejected reports claiming that he, at the ACC AGM on Tuesday, apologised to BCCI officials for his actions at the presentation ceremony on Sunday when he walked away with the trophy after the Indians refused to accept it from him.
Bumrah, rested for the second Test against England, made a classy appearance alongside wife Sanjana Ganesan.
Ahead of the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel's meeting to pick India's Asia Cup squad, T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav has cleared his fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
The Indian trio of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and aggressive opener Abhishek Sharma retained their respective top positions in the ICC T20 rankings.
While most in the cricket fraternity have stayed silent on the issue, Devisha chose to back Dhanashree publicly.
'For the whole team, we think it's just another game. We prepare the same for all the oppositions.'
'This is love, it is a celebration for those who support the Indian team.'
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his side will not hold back on aggression in the high-voltage Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on September 14.
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