All articles tagged with #asia cup
Iran’s women’s national soccer team was welcomed with a home ceremony in Tehran after several players sought asylum in Australia, with fans waving flags and players receiving flowers and signing mementos ahead of a Women’s Asian Cup match against the Philippines.
Five of seven members of Iran’s women’s national team who initially sought asylum in Australia during the Asia Cup have reversed their asylum claims and left for Oman, leaving two who remained in Australia; the move underscores the difficult balance between personal safety abroad and concerns for family safety back home amid ongoing tensions with Iran.
Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi denied apologizing to the BCCI over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy controversy, criticizing Indian media for spreading false information. He expressed readiness to present the trophy and accused India of politicizing cricket, which led to the trophy not being handed over after India’s victory, amid strained geopolitical relations.
During an ACC meeting, Mohsin Naqvi refused to hand over the Asia Cup trophy and medals to India after their victory, leading to protests and a potential ICC complaint, amid ongoing tensions between cricket boards.
India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a tense Asia Cup final in Dubai, successfully defending their title and earning their ninth Asia Cup victory. The match was marked by a dramatic collapse from Pakistan after a strong start, and India’s resilient batting led by Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69. The victory was overshadowed by the players' refusal to shake hands and the trophy presentation controversy.
Andy Pycroft, the ICC match referee, apologized to Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha for a miscommunication during a match, after initially being involved in a controversy over a handshake incident. The ICC stated Pycroft was 'not guilty' and will investigate further if additional evidence is provided by the PCB. The incident occurred ahead of a crucial Asia Cup match between Pakistan and UAE, which was significant for qualification.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate emphasized that the team will focus on cricket and follow government directives amid calls to boycott the Asia Cup match against Pakistan due to political tensions and recent terror attacks, despite Gambhir's earlier strong stance against playing Pakistan.
India captain Rohit Sharma announced five changes in the Indian team for their Asia Cup Super 4 match against Bangladesh, with Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav all being rested. The team management decided to give opportunities to new faces, including Tilak Varma who made his ODI debut. Shreyas Iyer also missed the game due to injury. Bangladesh handed ODI debuts to Tanzib Shakib.
India defeated Sri Lanka by 41 runs in the 10th match of the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup, ending Sri Lanka's 13-match winning streak. Despite losing all ten wickets to spin for the first time in ODIs, India's fast bowlers made the difference, with Kuldeep Yadav taking 4 wickets and Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj providing quality pace. Dunith Wellalage's all-round performance of 5 wickets and an unbeaten 42 went in vain for Sri Lanka as they failed to chase down India's total of 213. India's win secured their place in the Asia Cup final and ended Bangladesh's chances.
The India vs Pakistan Super Four game in the Asia Cup has been pushed into a reserve day due to rain. India had made a strong start with openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill scoring half-centuries before both were dismissed. The match is scheduled to resume as a full 50-overs-a-side game with India at 147 for 2 in 24.1 overs. More rain is forecasted for the following day, and if the match does resume, India will have to play on three consecutive days.
Shreyas Iyer suffered back spasms during warm-up before the India-Pakistan Super Four match at the Asia Cup, forcing him to miss the game. KL Rahul, who recently made a comeback from injury, was brought in as a last-minute replacement. It is unclear if Rahul will also take on the role of wicketkeeper. Both Iyer and Rahul are returning from injuries, and Iyer's latest setback raises concerns with the World Cup approaching.
India and Pakistan are set to resume their highly anticipated cricket rivalry in the 2023 Asia Cup after a four-year gap. The two teams have played only three ODIs against each other since the 2019 World Cup. Both teams have key players in form, with Babar Azam leading Pakistan's batting lineup and Shreyas Iyer returning as one of the best No. 4 batsmen for India. The match is expected to be a battle between Pakistan's bowlers and India's batters, with rain threatening a delayed start.
Ravi Shastri believes India is the favorite in the upcoming Asia Cup game against Pakistan, but acknowledges that Pakistan has narrowed the gap between the two teams. Shastri emphasizes the importance of player temperament in high-pressure matches and highlights the need for batters to convert starts into big scores, citing Babar Azam's approach. He also emphasizes the significance of fielding in the tournament and warns against underestimating Sri Lanka, the defending champions.