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Pakistan will be gunning for revenge, but an unbeaten India look firm favourites to retain the men’s Asia Cup title when the arch-rivals clash in a potentially testy final in Dubai on Sunday. The Indian juggernaut has crushed every opposition on their path before swaggering into the final of the eight-team tournament looking every inch the reigning 20-over world champions. Pakistan were beaten comprehensively twice, first in the group stage and then in Super Fours, by an India team containing the world’s top-ranked batter and bowler in the T20 format in opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Six-hitting machine Abhishek is also the tournament’s leading scorer with 309 runs from six innings, often setting the tone of India’s batting in the first six powerplay overs. In a low-scoring tournament where only Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka managed a century, Abhishek’s red-hot form at the top meant skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s struggle with the bat has not really been felt. Wily seamer Jasprit Bumrah ha...

DUBAI: Under fire after their twin thrashings at the hands of India in the ongoing Asia Cup, Pakistan proved they were good enough to make it to the tournament’s final when they edged Bangladesh by 11 runs in their last Super Four outing on Thursday and all their matters now for the side are the title honours. For the national side’s head coach Mike Hesson, whose credentials were questioned after India outplayed them in the group-stage and Super Four clashes, Pakistan deserved to be in the final after beating all of their opponents through the course of the tournament apart from the archrivals. And it’s India only, who’ll be in Pakistan’s way to their Asia Cup title ambition come Sunday. “We’ve deserved this opportunity, and now it’s up to us to make the most of it,” Hesson told reporters on Thursday night. “All the games before this were about getting into a position to win the trophy. “We know that the only match that really counts is the final, and that’s our focus, to play our best game when it matters.” ...

Pacer Haris Rauf and opener Sahibzada Farhan were on Friday reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for gestures made during the Asia Cup Super Four match against arch-rivals India, ESPNCricinfo reported. According to the publication, the pacer was fined 30 per cent of his match fee by match referee Richie Richardson. At the same time, “It is understood that Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan was not fined and let off with a warning by Richardson. “Rauf was seen responding to heckling from Indian fans by signalling 6-0 with his hands and making gestures depicting the downing of aircraft, in apparent reference to the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May this year,” the report read. “Farhan had celebrated his fifty by mimicking a gunshot.” Earlier, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was found guilty by the ICC of breaching the code of conduct for his comments that alluded to the brief military skirmish between India and Pakistan this year, after their group stage match in the Asia Cup on...

Pakistan won by 11 runs after stumbling to 135-8 in the virtual semi-final against Bangladesh in their men’s Asia Cup Super Four fixture at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. With that win, the Green Shirts bookëd their final date with archrivals India for the first time in the 17th iteration of the Asia Cup on Sunday. Speaking at the post-match ceremony, player-of-the-match Shaheen Afridi said: “I attacked up-front as the team needed an early breakthrough — the three overs in the powerplay made all the difference.” He dedicated his award to his wife and son. The left-arm pacer scored a vital 19 of 13 balls and got 3-17 with the ball, striking in his signature manner in the very first over of the innings yet again. Skipper Salman Ali Agha said, “If we can win these kinds of games, then we must be a special team.” He commended Mohammad Haris’s crucial 31 runs down the order, terming him a “special player”. On a pitch that spun prodigiously, Pakistan were staring down the barrel at 49-5 in the 11t...

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav is facing controversy after the International Cricket Council (ICC) acknowledged remarks he made following India’s Asia Cup group-stage victory over Pakistan on September 14, saying that it is reviewing a complaint lodged by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and has had a formal hearing, Hindustan Times reported on Thursday. The move comes after the PCB lodged an official complaint with the ICC against Yadav for dedicating its September 14 win over Pakistan to “the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack”. At least 24 people had been killed in the April attack, which led to a brief military escalation between India and Pakistan, as New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack without evidence. The ICC confirmed that it is reviewing a complaint filed by the PCB and a formal hearing took place today, as per Hindustan Times. “[Match referee Richie] Richardson heard Suryakumar’s explanation and is expected to deliver his verdict on Friday,” Hindustan Times added. The outle...

India secured their place in the men’s Asia Cup final on Wednesday as Abhishek Sharma starred with 75 in a 41-run win over Bangladesh in Dubai. The holders posted 168-6 batting first after stumbling following a quick start, but their spinners helped stifle Bangladesh to 127 all out. The result means Sri Lanka are out of the tournament, with Thursday’s Super Four match between Pakistan and Bangladesh to decide who faces India in Sunday’s final. Abhishek has enjoyed a remarkable start to his T20 international career with 783 runs from 22 matches at a strike-rate of 197.72. The opener set up victory with another brilliant innings, striking six sixes and five fours in his 37-ball blitz, which ended with a run-out caused by a mix-up with captain Suryakumar Yadav. Both Abhishek and fellow opener Shubman Gill, who made 29, started cautiously before the two took on left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed, smashing 21 runs off the fourth over. Abhishek reached his fifty off just 25 balls after Gill fell to leg-spinner Rishad Hos...

Pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi has declared that the Green Shirts will reach the Asia Cup final and can beat India if the arch-rivals clash again. Pakistan kept their campaign alive with a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a Super Four clash in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Pakistan and India have met twice in this edition of the regional competition, but the two teams have never played against each other in an Asia Cup final. The regional tournament, played this time in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the Twenty20 format, started in 1984, and this is its 17th edition. Bangladesh, who face India on Wednesday and Pakistan on Thursday, stand in the way of the great rivals facing off in Sunday’s decider in Dubai. India are the current holders and beat Pakistan in both previous matches, but Shaheen was in a bullish mood after taking 3-28 against Sri Lanka. When asked about Pakistan and India not facing off in any of the finals of the previous editions and the possibility of both rivals meeting in the final, Shaheen s...

Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan has said his team is confident that it would face “India again in the final” of the men’s Asia Cup next Sunday. India romped home on Sunday with a six-wicket win, chasing down the 172-run target with ease in their second high-intensity encounter against Pakistan in the tournament. Pakistan rode on a brilliant 45-ball 58 from opener Sahibzada Farhan but managed 171-5 after romping to 93-1 in 9.3 overs. Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Monday, before Pakistan clash with Sri Lanka tomorrow, the opener said: “We are confident that we will face India again in the final (of the Asia Cup).” Speaking about his celebration after he scored his half-century against India, he said: “I hardly celebrate after a 50. It was a spontaneous thought to celebrate that way — I don’t care for what people are making of it.” He added that Fakhar’s role from the other end gave him confidence to play his shots. In Pakistan’s last match against India, the bitterness between the two sides — w...

Most of us Pakistan fans may not admit it, but we hope. We hope against hope when our team takes on India. Before the first ball is bowled, we tend to somehow forgo a few harsh realities and the reality that underlines all of them; India are way better. “Farq hai yaar (there’s a difference),” as my colleague put it right after Tilak Varma clattered Shaheen Afridi past deep square-leg for a four to wrap things up. “It’s a gulf in fact, a huge gulf of quality,” he concluded. His short analysis summed up Sunday’s Super Four fixture, which India comfortably won by six wickets with seven balls to spare. Pakistan genuinely came back stronger, impressing with the bat early on, but the “gulf” glared the brightest when Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill were at the crease. Indispensable Abhishek, Gill With their opening partnership of 105 off 59, Gill and Abhishek — the two friends from the Indian Punjab — set the match aside for India, neutralising Faheem Ashraf and Haris Rauf’s decent show with the ball...

Pakistan on Saturday cancelled their pre-match press conference ahead of their second encounter with India in the men’s Asia Cup tomorrow, according to a statement by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). “Pakistan will not be holding their pre-match press conference today,” ACC said in a short statement. Andy Pycroft will be officiating the match as the referee again after last week’s controversy. A senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official confirmed to Dawn.com that the board had moved on after Pycroft’s ‘apology’ and had no issue with his appointment for the Pakistan-India match. The Group A clash between the fierce rivals last Sunday ended on a bitter note when Indian players refused to shake hands with their opponents. It was the first meeting between the regional neighbours since a four-day conflict in May left more than 70 people dead. While the match itself passed without incident, there was no shaking of hands between the captains at the toss or among the players at the end. Then, at the post-match cer...

Half-centuries by Towhid Hridoy (58) and Saif Hassan (61) powered Bangladesh to an exciting four-wicket win in the Super Four stage of the men’s Asia Cup against former champions Sri Lanka in Dubai on Saturday. Having been rolled over by Sri Lanka in the first round, Bangladesh got their act together after winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. Bangladesh required 10 runs off 10 balls with seven wickets in hand but the dismissal of Hridoy spiced things up. He was trapped leg before by Dushmantha Chameera in the 19th over, and Dasun Shanaka then struck twice in the last over to keep the contest alive. In the end, tail-ender Nasum Ahmed scampered a cheeky single to cover off the penultimate ball to see Bangladesh home. Their bowlers had set it up by limiting Sri Lanka to 168 for seven on a belter of a track and thanks to Hridoy and Hassan, Bangladesh crossed the line with one delivery to spare. Sri Lanka could have been bundled out for much less, but three spilt catches let them off the hook. In the end, ...

World champions India overcame a gutsy Oman team to win the last group match of the men’s Asia Cup by 21 runs on Friday and stay unbeaten in the T20 tournament. India had already qualified for the Super Four stage and posted 188-8 after they elected to bat first at Abu Dhabi. Oman — ranked 20th in world T20 rankings — put up a spirited batting show and finished on 167-4 after top knocks from Aamir Kaleem, who made 64, and Hammad Mirza, who hit 51. The left-right batting pair of Kaleem and Mirza put on 93 runs for the second wicket and attempted to pull off the chase with some late boundaries that gave India a scare. Hardik Pandya broke the stand with a stunning outfield catch to dismiss Kaleem off Harshit Rana and then sent back Mirza with his pace bowling in the next over. Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh snared the fourth wicket of the innings and his 100th in T20 internationals — the first Indian bowler to reach the century mark. Earlier, wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson top-scored with 56, and his second-wi...

Pakistan and India will clash again in the Asia Cup on Sunday, renewing one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries a week after their last match was overshadowed by a handshake row. India won the September 14 group match by seven wickets in Dubai and afterwards refused to shake hands with their opponents in a controversial move. It was the first meeting between the neighbours since a four-day cross-border conflict in May left more than 70 people dead. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a protest with the International Cricket Council (ICC), alleging that match referee Andy Pycroft had told skipper Salman Ali Agha not to approach Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav for a handshake at the toss. The PCB demanded that Pycroft be removed from their matches and threatened to withdraw from the eight-team Twenty20 competition. Their last group game was held up for an hour before the PCB said Pycroft had apologised and the match, with the Zimbabwean in charge, eventually went ahead. Pakistan beat hosts, the United Arab ...

Pakistan captain Salman Agha said his team were ready to face India in the next round of the Asia Cup on Sunday after last week’s group-stage match between the arch-rivals ended in acrimony when the Indian side refused to shake hands. Pakistan beat United Arab Emirates in their final Group A game on Wednesday to advance to the Super Fours stage, where they will also play two teams from Group B in a round robin format. Bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan has been suspended since 2013, and they play each other only in multi-team tournaments. “We are ready, we are ready for any challenge,” Salman said after their 41-run victory against UAE. “We just want to play good cricket. If we play good cricket, like we have played in the last few months, I think we’ll be good against any side.” Fakhar Zaman made 50, but Pakistan’s frontline batters disappointed against the UAE’s modest attack, with opener Saim Ayub falling for his third successive duck in the tournament. Salman acknowledged they had to bat better....

Pakistan won with ease by 41 runs after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) won the toss and elected to bowl first in their much-delayed men’s Asia Cup encounter. The Pakistan-UAE clash was set to go through on Wednesday after Zimbabwean referee Andy Pycroft apologised to the manager and captain of the Green Shirts after much uncertainty surrounding the fixture in the fallout of the Pakistan-India match last Sunday. Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the post-match ceremony said his team hasn’t batted at their best yet. “We need to bat better in the middle overs… we’re till finding our way to 150+ scores,” Salman said. Salman called player of the match, Shaheen Afridi a match-winner. The left-arm pacer was adjudicated POTM for his heroics with the bat and his contribution with the ball in what became a comprehensive victory for the Green Shirts. Match analysis by Abyan Amir: Shaheen reminded us of his father-in-law yet again with another terrific Afridi cameo that helped salvage the dithering Pakistani batting in...

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After a day which saw cricket take the backseat and politics deliver the drama, Pakistan advanced in a tournament they had been looking to boycott hours earlier. The United Arab Emirates became the casualty as Salman Ali Agha’s men knocked the hosts out of the men’s Asia Cup in the final Group ‘A’ match on Wednesday to book a spot in the Super Four stage. And surprise, surprise; they have been drawn against archrivals India for Sunday’s Super Four opener, which is expected to be a heated affair after the handshake controversy and Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav’s post-match comments left a bad taste after their seven-wicket win in the first-round fixture between the two teams last Sunday. But — despite the off-field noise — can we expect it to be a competitive affair? The simple answer is a big, big NO. In the group match between the neighbours, it was established that Pakistan have tumbled a league below India in terms of quality and skill. But when they go up against weaker opposition, the boys in green ten...

DUBAI: The Pakistan Cricket Board will take a final call regarding the national team’s participation in the Asia Cup on Wednesday after the handshake controversy that unfolded in their match against archrivals India. “The Pakistan Cricket Board has not yet made any final decision regarding the Asia Cup,” PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said in a statement that came late on Tuesday night, following what Dawn learnt was a meeting involving officials from the board and the government in Islamabad. “Consultations are ongoing in this regard, and a final decision will be made by tomorrow,” the spokesperson added. “The decision will be made keeping in view Pakistan’s interests.” The PCB correspondence was followed by Pakistan’s decision to not hold their pre-match press conference ahead of their final Group ‘A’ fixture against hosts UAE. The Pakistan team did, however, turn up for practice on the eve of the game. “Pakistan has decided not to hold their pre-match press conference today,” a short message from the Asian Cric...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday cancelled the pre-match press conference of the Pakistan-United Arab Emirates (UAE) men’s Asia Cup match as the crisis from the fallout of the Pakistan-India match worsened. The PCB had lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against match referee Andy Pycroft over his alleged violations of rules pertaining to the “Spirit of Cricket“, with the board claiming that the referee had asked the Pakistan and India captains “not to shake hands at the time of the toss” for last Sunday’s match. “Pakistan will not be holding their pre-match press conference today,” the Asian Cricket Council confirmed in a statement on Tuesday ahead of Pakistan’s match against the UAE tomorrow. The PCB confirmed in a statement later in the day that the board had still not taken a final decision on continuing participation in the Asia Cup. “The Pakistan Cricket Board has not yet taken any final decision regarding the Asia Cup, “PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said in a statemen...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has dismissed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) complaint seeking the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup over a dispute during the recent Pakistan-India match, Indian media outlets claimed on Tuesday. The PCB had yesterday lodged a complaint with the ICC against Pycroft over his alleged violations of rules pertaining to the “Spirit of Cricket“, with the board claiming that the referee had asked the Pakistan and India captains “not to shake hands at the time of the toss” for Sunday’s match. “Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won’t be removed and their plea has been rejected,” an unnamed ICC source told the Press Trust of India. However, Cricbuzz reported, “When contacted, the PCB has denied receiving any communication from the ICC.” The PCB has yet to issue an official statement on the development. The Times of India (TOI) reported it was “actually the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officials on the ground who in...