The Asia Cup 2025 has always been a troubled soul and it has struggled to cast off this characteristic. Originally meant to be hosted by India, the position was scuppered by recent Indo-Pakistan political tensions.
These led to a situation in which neither’s cricket teams will play in each other’s countries for the time being. India chose to delay its decision to join the tournament until the last minute, causing administrative headaches. Once underway, the infamous “no-handshake” incident in the first India vs Pakistan match was the basis for a further souring of relations. Pakistan’s riposte of clamouring for the removal of the ICC match referee gained them no new friends and may have lost old ones.
There was always a possibility that India and Pakistan could meet three times in this tournament. In the not-too-distant past, frissons of excitement and anticipation would run through all parties involved. The Asia Cup 2025, at least from the outside, seems to have altered, and maybe destroyed, this perception. The teams have met twice, with a third in prospect. In place of excitement, there are likely to be other sentiments. Arab News is exploring these at first hand, through attendance at the final stages of the tournament.
In an eight-team tournament divided into two groups, there is always a chance of a fancied team falling by the wayside. In the Asia Cup 2025, the Afghanistan team was expected to reach the Super Four stage, but defeats by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh saw it eliminated at the group stage. India, of course, is the dominant team, winning all of its matches and already qualified for the final on Sept. 28.
On the evidence of last night’s match, Bangladesh should not pose too many problems for India. They
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