Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha spoke openly before the Asia Cup final against India. He addressed both the rivalry and the controversies that surround the match.
News had come out that India captain Suryakumar Yadav was about to skip the traditional photoshoot with the trophy. The build-up had already been tense. India refused handshakes at the toss and after matches earlier in the tournament, which added more fuel to the rivalry.
In the group and Super Four stages, India dominated. They beat Pakistan in both matches. Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy have been the standout players.
Agha, however, brushed aside the noise. “They can do whatever they want. We will follow the protocol. If they come, fine. If not, we can’t control it,” he told reporters.
He made it clear that Pakistan’s focus is on the cricket. “We don’t care about media talk or outside noise. Our goal is the Asia Cup. We came here to play good cricket. Tomorrow, we will try to win the final,” he said.
Agha also replied to comments from Suryakumar Yadav, who said the rivalry had “dwindled” because of India’s dominance. The Pakistan skipper disagreed. He said India–Pakistan games still carry the same pressure as always.
“Yes, these games always bring pressure. To say otherwise would be wrong. But we made more mistakes than them, that’s why we lost. The team that makes fewer mistakes usually wins. Tomorrow, our goal is to reduce mistakes,” Agha explained.
