Salman Agha left alone at Asia Cup trophy shoot as India skip pre-final ritual

The build-up to the first-ever Pakistan-India Asia Cup final took a dramatic turn when Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha was left posing alone with the trophy at the Dubai International Stadium.

Tradition dictates that both skippers appear together for the pre-final photoshoot, but India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav was absent. The Indian team management later told local media that they had not received any instructions from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to attend.

The snub adds to simmering tensions between the arch-rivals during the tournament. Suryakumar has already faced criticism for avoiding customary handshakes with Salman during the group stage toss and after guiding India to victory in an earlier clash. Following that game, Indian players immediately headed to the dressing room and locked the doors, leaving Pakistan’s squad on the field for post-match formalities.

Earlier, Pakistan manager Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a protest over India’s conduct and the role of match referee Andy Pycroft. The Pakistan Cricket Board later revealed that Pycroft apologised, terming the episode a “miscommunication.”

A similar scene unfolded during the Super Four meeting on September 21, when both sides again skipped handshakes at the end.

The historic final on Sunday will be the first time Pakistan and India square off for the Asia Cup title, amplifying excitement around an already fierce rivalry.

Since its inauguration in 1984, the Asia Cup has witnessed rich history and heated contests. Pakistan have lifted the trophy twice (2000 and 2012) and finished runners-up three times, while India dominate the roll of honour with eight titles from 11 finals. With the added spice of recent controversies, this showdown promises to be one of the most intense in the tournament’s history.