Pakistan captain and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match interview with official broadcaster Sony following theAsia Cup 2025 clash against India.
According to the latest reports, Salman’s absence from the presentation with Sanjay Manjrekar had nothing to do with India’s refusal to shake hands.
Pakistan were disappointed after losing to India in the match at the Dubai International Stadium on September 14. India won by seven wickets, completing the chase with 25 balls to spare. Notably, it was the first match between the two teams after the military conflict between the nations in May.
After the game, Suryakumar Yadav and his team chose not to shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts. The Indian players deliberately skipped the post-match handshake, showing that they were not interested in sharing friendly gestures with their arch-rivals.
Salman Ali Agha Skips Post-Match Presentation Due to Sanjay Manjrekar
Salman Ali Agha did not attend the post-match presentation following the match against India. Many believed his absence was connected to India’s refusal to shake hands with the Pakistan team.
However, Salman Ali Agha’s decision was due to the presentation being conducted by Indian commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, according to RevSportz. The report added that the captain was uncomfortable with Manjrekar handling the ceremony. However, Shaheen Shah Afridi went to collect his award.
“The message sent was that Pakistan wouldn’t attend the presentation because it was being conducted by Sanjay Manjrekar, an Indian. Apparently they weren’t comfortable with that, and hence decided not to attend. However, Shaheen Shah Afridi did come and collect his award, which yet again spoke of double standards,” the report read.
Salman Ali Agha Fails to Deliver; Pakistan Restricted to 127/9
India got off to a flying start with the ball as Hardik Pandya dismissed Pakistan opener Saim Ayub on the very first legitimate ball of the match. The Indian bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets for 18 runs.
Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel took two wickets each, while Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy claimed one wicket apiece. Key batsmen like Mohammad Haris, Fakhar Zaman, and captain Salman Ali Agha failed to make an impact as Pakistan managed to score just 127/9 in 20 overs.
Shaheen Afridi scored 33 not out off 16 balls, while Sahibzada Farhan was Pakistan’s top scorer with 40 runs from 44 deliveries. India’s disciplined bowling performance set the tone for the match and gave their batsmen a manageable target to chase.
Suryakumar Yadav Guides Team to Seven-Wicket Win
Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start in the chase. The left-handed batter scored 31 runs off just 13 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes. India reached 61 for 2 in the power play.
Suryakumar Yadav then took control, steadying the innings with Tilak Varma. The pair added 56 runs for the third wicket. Tilak scored 31 off 31 balls, including two fours and one six, before being dismissed.
The Indian captain finished the game with a six off Sufiyan Muqeem. He remained unbeaten on 47 from 37 balls, including five fours and a six. Shivam Dube stayed not out on 10 from seven deliveries. India completed the chase with 25 balls to spare.