Ravi Shastri Doesn’t Talk to Pakistan Captain During Asia Cup Final Toss, Waqar Younis Steps In

The PCB reportedly asked the ACC to replace Ravi Shastri as the presenter for the India-Pakistan final, despite him covering most Asia Cup matches.

Ravi Shastri Doesn’t Talk to Pakistan Captain During Asia Cup Final Toss, Waqar Younis Steps In

Ravi Shastri and Waqar Younis surprisingly presented the coin toss ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup final, in a historic first. (via Indian Express)

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In a rare moment in international cricket history, two different presenters took part in the coin toss prior to the final of the 2025 Asia Cup. Ex-India legend Ravi Shastri spoke to his countryman Suryakumar Yadav, while Pakistani captain Salman Ali Agha interacted with country legend Waqar Younis. 

The 2025 Asia Cup remained in the headlines not just for cricket, but also for the actions and gestures involving India and Pakistan. It all started from the controversy that erupted after the Indian players and captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after their group stage fixture. Pakistan reacted strongly by boycotting the post-match presentation and filing official complaints against the Indian team and match referee Andy Pycroft for an alleged breach of ICC rules.

The tensions continued into the ‘Super Four’ encounter. Pakistani players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan made crude gestures referring to the recent armed conflict between the two countries, with their actions even drawing ICC sanctions. The Indian players did not stand back, as Suryakumar Yadav publicly dedicated the victory against Pakistan to the families of those who died in the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

The buildup ahead of the Asia Cup final was tense, with the Men in Blue facing opposition from fans over playing with Pakistan, despite all forms of bilateral relations remaining suspended. Ahead of the final, PCB had reportedly requested the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to have a neutral presenter during the toss, similar to a previous request that they had made regarding match referee Andy Pycroft’s removal. 

However, the BCCI refused the request, maintaining that ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri would not be replaced. The parties eventually reached a mutual agreement, with the toss being presented by Shastri, accompanied by ex-Pakistani pacer Waqar Younis.

At the toss itself, both captains refrained from interacting or shaking hands. Once Suryakumar Yadav finished speaking with Ravi Shastri, the Indian legend stepped aside, allowing Salman Ali Agha to speak with Younis.

Keeping the political tensions aside, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav elected to bowl first after winning the toss. Unfortunately, the Men in Blue missed out on the services of Hardik Pandya due to an injury, which resulted in Rinku Singh being drafted into the squad for the final. 

Kuldeep Yadav Etches Name in History with Memorable Performance in Asia Cup Final

Ace Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav etched his name in history books after picking up a four-wicket haul against Pakistan, in the final of the 2025 Asia Cup. The left-armed wrist spinner broke the record for the most wickets by a player in a single edition of the Asia Cup.

Kuldeep Yadav Asia Cup record
Kuldeep Yadav etched his name in history books with four-wicket haul in Asia Cup final against Pakistan. (via Jagran Josh)

Kuldeep Yadav has been in stellar form, having forged an efficient spin bowling partnership with Varun Chakravarthy. In the 2025 Asia Cup, the 30-year-old wrist spinner picked up 17 wickets in just seven matches at an average of 9.29. He finished as the highest wicket-taker in the 2025 edition, way ahead of the other bowlers in the top wicket-takers list, including Shaheen Afridi (10) and Junaid Siddique (9).

Throughout the tournament, Yadav secured two four-wicket hauls and two three-wicket hauls, with this consistency positioning him as the clear best bowler of the tournament. He shattered the previous record of 11 wickets, jointly held by Bangladeshi pacer Al-Amin Hossain (2016 edition) and fellow countryman Bhuvneshwar Kumar, to become the player with the most scalps in a single edition of the Asia Cup.

Furthermore, the 30-year-old also surpassed Lasith Malinga’s long-standing record for the most wickets taken by a bowler in the overall history of the Asia Cup. With 36 wickets in 18 Asia Cup matches, Kuldeep Yadav moved ahead of the Sri Lankan legend’s previous record of 33 wickets in 15 matches.

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