Asia Cup 2025 Final: Unique Toss with Two Presenters

The Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan kicked off with an unusual twist at the toss, featuring two presenters. Former Indian all-rounder Ravi Shastri interviewed Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, while former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis spoke with Pakistan's captain Salman Ali Agha. This dual presentation added to the already intense atmosphere surrounding the match, which has been marked by protests over India's participation and heightened military tensions following a recent terror attack in Kashmir.

The match has seen rising tempers on the field as well. Pakistani players Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf faced backlash from Indian fans for their provocative gestures. In contrast, India displayed strong performances, particularly from Abhishek Sharma. The Pakistan Cricket Board had requested a neutral presenter for the toss, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India denied this request, leading to the unique arrangement.

At the toss, the no-handshake tradition continued for the third consecutive match, with Suryakumar Yadav again refusing to shake hands with Salman Ali Agha. India won the toss and opted to bowl first. However, they faced a setback with the absence of Hardik Pandya due to a minor injury, prompting Rinku Singh's inclusion in the squad. In a tactical surprise, Shivam Dube opened the bowling alongside spinners, with Jasprit Bumrah being the only specialist pacer in the lineup.

The playing XI for India includes Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakaravarthy. Pakistan's lineup features Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed.

As the match unfolds, the focus remains on both teams, with India looking to maintain their winning streak against their arch-rivals, having already secured victories in their previous encounters during the tournament.