Asia Cup 2025 Final: Salman Agha fires back at India over handshake row
On the eve of the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan, Pakistan captain Salman Agha struck a balanced note, encouraging his players to express their emotions freely, while also urging them to maintain respect on the field.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Dubai on Saturday, Agha addressed the heightened emotions and flashpoints witnessed in the earlier clashes between the two teams during the group and Super Four stages.
“Every individual has the right to express emotions. If we stop fast bowlers from showing emotions, what’s left then?” Agha said, referring to the fiery spells and aggressive celebrations seen earlier in the tournament. “I won’t stop anyone as long as it is not disrespectful.”
While Agha encouraged natural expression, he was quick to draw a line when it came to disrespectful behavior. His comments come in the wake of verbal exchanges and intense face-offs between players during previous India-Pakistan encounters in the tournament.
'Never Seen Teams Refuse to Shake Hands'
However, the Pakistan skipper also didn’t shy away from expressing disappointment at what he perceived as a lack of sportsmanship from the Indian side in their last meetings. Indian players, including captain Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Shivam Dube, were seen walking off without shaking hands with the Pakistani team after both group and Super Four matches—both of which India won.
“I started playing U16 cricket in 2007. I never saw any teams not shaking hands. Even when Indo-Pak relations were worse, we still shook hands,” Agha remarked.
Learning from Mistakes
Reflecting on the two losses to India earlier in the tournament, Agha remained honest in his assessment. “India versus Pakistan matches come with baggage of pressure. In the last two games, we lost because we made more mistakes,” he admitted.
As both teams gear up for a historic final—their first ever in an Asia Cup title clash—Agha’s message is clear: bring the intensity, show your passion, but keep it within the bounds of respect.
