India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha on Monday promised that aggression will define their approach in the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025 clash.
The archrivals will meet on 14 September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India begins their campaign against the UAE on 10 September, while Pakistan face India four days later in Dubai.
Suryakumar, speaking on the eve of the tournament, underlined the role of intensity.
“Aggression is always there on the field when we take the field. Without aggression, I do not believe one can play this sport. I am excited to take the field on the front foot,” he said.
His Pakistani counterpart echoed similar sentiments, saying players should be free to express themselves.
“If someone wants to be aggressive on the field, they are more than welcome to do that,” Salman Ali Agha said.
The Indian skipper dismissed suggestions of a change in approach.
“Why mend something that is not broken? If something has given us results, why would we need to change that aspect?” he asked.
When asked about the wicketkeeper choice between Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma, he responded light-heartedly, “I will message you the whole team, sir. We are taking good care of him. Do not worry, we will take the right decision tomorrow.”
On being labelled as favourites, Suryakumar brushed off the tag.
“Who said that? I have not heard it. If your preparations are good, then you will be very confident when you take the field. We are playing Twenty20 as a team after a long time,” he added.
For Ali Agha, Asia Cup 2025 is a chance to define a new era. Without Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, he showed confidence in his squad.
“We have won three series out of four in the past four months. A lot of boys will play Asia Cup for the first time, but they are ready for the challenge,” he stated.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan spoke about the travel burden between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, calling it a test of mental strength.
Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka admitted exhaustion after playing in Zimbabwe.
“Right now, I feel very sleepy. We need a couple of days off,” he said. Afghanistan open the tournament against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, while Sri Lanka face Bangladesh on 13 September.
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