India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar, Agha Say Aggression Welcome – As Long As It Stays on the Field
As the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025 approaches, captains from both sides have downplayed any need to curb emotions or aggression, despite the match being played against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions between the two nations.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that there had been no directive from the team management to tone down the on-field aggression ahead of their September 14 encounter in Dubai.
“Temper? Aggression is always there when we take the field,” Suryakumar said. “Without aggression, I don’t think you can play this sport. I’m very excited to take the field.”
His counterpart, Pakistan captain Salman Agha, echoed the sentiment, adding that the passion and energy of players—especially fast bowlers—was an essential part of the game and shouldn’t be restricted.
“You don’t need to say anything to any player,” Agha said. “Everyone is different individually. If someone wants to be aggressive on the field, they are more than welcome to do that… as long as it stays on the field.”
A New Era: Both Teams Without Their Superstars
This encounter will mark a new chapter in the India-Pakistan rivalry, as both teams have moved on from their iconic players. India will be without the now-retired Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Pakistan have opted to rest Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
This will also be India’s first T20I since their home series against England in January, whereas Pakistan arrive in Dubai after a busy run of fixtures that included a tri-series win over Afghanistan and UAE, and earlier bilateral series against Bangladesh and West Indies.
Despite India's recent lack of T20 action, some social media chatter has painted them as the favourites for the clash. Suryakumar was quick to brush off such claims.
“Kisne bola? (Who said that?)” he laughed, when asked if India were being seen as frontrunners. “I haven’t heard that. You know how your preparations are. If those are good, then you feel confident going into the game. We’ve been here for a few days now and had some good time together as a team. We’re really looking forward to this tournament.”
Agha: No Favourites in T20 Cricket
Agha was also cautious about calling any team a favourite in a format as unpredictable as T20 cricket.
“In T20, I don’t think anyone is favourite,” he said. “On a particular day, you just have to play good cricket. In one or two overs, the game can completely change.”
He added that Pakistan’s focus all along had been the Asia Cup, even while playing the recently concluded tri-series.
“We are playing very good cricket. I think for almost four months, we have won three out of four series. A lot of the boys will be playing in the Asia Cup for the first time, but they are ready for the challenge.”
As anticipation builds for one of the biggest rivalries in world cricket, both captains have made it clear: they welcome the intensity—as long as it doesn’t cross the line.
Asia Cup 2025: India vs Pakistan
-
Date: September 14
-
Venue: Dubai International Stadium
-
Format: T20I
-
Last T20I Meeting: World Cup 2024, New York
Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth coverage of the Asia Cup 2025.