Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha says he won’t restrict his players from expressing themselves on the field during the Asia Cup 2025 final versus India, even if there has been some controversy over Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan’s rude gestures.
During the Super 4 match versus India, the two Pakistani cricketers were accused of making rude gestures, which made the two teams even more angry with each other.
Agha backed his colleagues’ right to speak their minds the night before the high-stakes final, but he drew the line at rude behavior.
“Everyone has the right to show their feelings. What else is there if we stop fast bowlers from showing how they feel? Agha remarked at the press conference before the match, “I won’t stop anyone as long as it isn’t disrespectful.”
During an ICC tribunal at Pakistan’s team hotel, match referee Richie Richardson heard Rauf and Farhan say they were not guilty. Even though their written testimonies had already been sent in, tournament insiders said the players showed up in person with team manager Naveed Akram Cheema.
On Wednesday, the BCCI officially filed a complaint, saying that what the two did went against the spirit of the game.
Agha said that blunders had cost Pakistan dearly in their losses to India in both the group stage and the Super Four.
“India vs. Pakistan games come with a lot of stress. “We lost the last two games because we made more mistakes,” he remarked.
The Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan on Sunday in Dubai will be the first time these two countries have ever played one other in the final. This adds another chapter to their long-standing cricket rivalry.