The Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai sparked controversy even before the first ball. Pakistan pacers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were seen casually talking during India’s national anthem, which upset many fans online.
While Indian players stood in silence during Pakistan’s anthem, Afridi and Rauf’s behavior during India’s anthem was caught on camera and widely shared. The incident drew strong criticism on social media, with many calling it disrespectful.
Afridi, Haris Rauf 'disrespect' India's national anthem at Asia Cup Final https://t.co/NoHSTCyqiH pic.twitter.com/LtvKYGUpKz
— Gags (@CatchOfThe40986) September 28, 2025This was not the first heated moment of the tournament for Pakistan. Earlier, Sahibzada Farhan’s gunfire-style celebration and Haris Rauf’s gestures toward Indian fans drew complaints from the BCCI, with Rauf even fined by the ICC. On the other side, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav made headlines for once again avoiding the post-match handshake with Pakistan skipper Salman Agha.
In the final, Pakistan began well as Farhan’s half-century took them to 113/1. But their middle and lower order crumbled under pressure, with Kuldeep Yadav producing a brilliant spell of 4/30. The collapse saw Pakistan bowled out for below 150, wasting their strong start.
India’s chase was shaky early on as Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar, and Shubman Gill fell cheaply. Tilak Varma then anchored the innings with a composed 69* off 53 balls. Supported by Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, he kept India steady before Rinku Singh hit the winning boundary, sealing a famous ninth Asia Cup crown for the Men in Blue.
