Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of Asia Cup 2025.
The Indian team refused to take the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chief and known for his vocal anti-India stand.
Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan both struck centuries as Pakistan completed their highest successful run chase in ODIs with a six-wicket win over South Africa.
A fiery century by Hasan Nawaz and top-class performances from pacers helped Pakistan keep the series alive
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.
In Mike Hesson's first assignment as Pakistan's new white-ball head coach, Hasan Ali grabbed a 5-30 and led a new-look Pakistan T20 cricket team to a thumping 37-run win over Bangladesh in the opening game of their three-match series.
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.
Tim Seifert top-scored with a quickfire 45 from 22 balls and Finn Allen slammed 38 from 16 to guide New Zealand to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the rain-hit second T20I.
The India-Pakistan tensions have had no impact on the bonhomie within the UAE cricket team, which is a mix of expatriates from the two countries, insisted skipper Muhammad Waseem.
Former India pacer Atul Wassan said pulling out of the Asia Cup match against Pakistan could hurt India's aspirations to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
Unless a player picks up an injury in training, India's team is expected to wear the same look against a Pakistan squad that are without top stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, lending it a look of youth and experience.
'The way Helen ma'am grooves, she's so seductive.'
The severe backlash that the Indian cricket team faced before its Asia Cup clash against Pakistan was a major contributing factor to the 'No Handshake Policy.
A dominant India beat Pakistan by seven wickets with 25 balls to spare in the Asia Cup matchg in Dubai on Sunday.
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.
When I asked UAE Skipper Muhammad Waseem why his team did not appeal for a walkover, he said his team had come to play, and that they had decided to wait as per the request from the authorities. Would any Test-playing country have waited and remained sporting enough to sacrifice their opportunity to play in the knock-out stage?
Pakistan withdrew its pullout threat and showed up for a crucial Asia Cup game against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday but not before causing a delay.
Spinners of both sides will have a significant role to play considering that Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi are the only specialist pacers who will be seen in action in Sunday's match.
Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan urged the Pakistan team to showcase their anger and some competition on the field rather than being in controversies off the field,
India, for all their internal debates and external expectations, look like the one side that has clarity of purpose. And clarity, in high-pressure tournaments, often counts for more than raw talent.
This is the first-ever India vs Pakistan final across 17 editions of the Men's Asia Cup since the tournament's inception in 1984.
Babar Azam's approach drew heavy criticism from fans
Hesson wants Babar Azam and Rizwan back in T20 set up
Former captain Babar Azam, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah returned to the Pakistan team for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia.
Shaheen Afridi also missed the last two Tests against England in October.
India's pace talisman Jasprit Bumrah's absence will certainly hurt India, but the team's quality batting and spin bowling make them title contenders alongside South Africa and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy.
Kuldeep Yadav has taken 25 wickets in 43 innings when he bowled between overs 40 and 45 since 2015.
'Panchamda created an exclusive theme music for Gabbar Singh, which is used throughout the film every time the dacoit makes an appearance, and in both concept and sound, is so eerie and evil.'
Pakistan's batting crumbled against New Zealand's pace attack and they were all out for 91 in 18.4 overs. In reply, New Zealand easily chased down the total, getting to 92 for 1 in just 10.1 overs.
New Zealand thumped Pakistan by eight wickets in the fifth and final match of the T20I series at the Sky Stadium in Wellington on Wednesday.
'The unpredictability factor is mainly due to our culture.'
Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has criticized Babar Azam for focusing on personal milestones over team success, expressing concerns about Pakistan's preparations ahead of their crucial Champions Trophy clash against India. He believes Pakistan's recent struggles, including a disappointing Tri-Nation Series campaign and a 1-1 draw against the West Indies in a home Test series, point to a lack of readiness for the India encounter.
Kuldeep Yadav spun his way into history on Sunday, becoming just the fifth Indian spinner to take 300 international wickets.
A look at the arrivals.
The Pakistan cricket team left for Dubai for the marquee Champions Trophy clash against arch-rivals India without opener Fakhar Zaman, who suffered an injury during the opening match against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19. The left-handed batter has been replaced by Imam-ul-Haq in Pakistan's squad.
'How can our cricket progress when there is a sword hanging constantly over the captain and coaches' heads.'
Injured Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has resumed bowling in the nets and is feeling comfortable, but his selection for the Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand will be up to the team management. Rauf, who sustained a muscular strain in his lower chest wall in the first match of the recently-held three-nation event, said he has started doing exercises and resumed bowling.
Pakistan's T20 captain, Salman Ali Agha, remains optimistic despite his team's 1-4 series loss to New Zealand, believing the new faces tried out in the matches will eventually come through.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the second Test played between Pakistan and England in Multan on Wednesday.
Pakistan completed a clean sweep of their One-day International series in South Africa with victory by 36 runs in the third and final clash at The Wanderers on Sunday.
