Why was Hardik Pandya dropped from Indian playing XI in IND vs PAK final in Asia Cup 2025? Ravi Shastri reveals
Hardik Pandya bowled just one over against Sri Lanka in the Super 4 match of the Asia Cup 2025 and didn't return for the rest of the game. Former India coach Ravi Shastri revealed that the India star has injured his quadriceps.
Having featured in all the games for India so far in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, the Indian team management was forced to drop Hardik Pandya from the playing XI in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday. This is the first time India are playing Pakistan in the final of an Asia Cup since the tournament's inception in 1984.
Pandya's missing out in the final came as a big blow for Suryakumar Yadav after the India all-rounder injured his hamstring and left the ground after just one over and didn't return during their game against Sri Lanka in Super 4 stage last Friday. Although the BCCI didn't inform about the exact nature of Pandya's injury, but former India coach Ravi Shastri revealed that the India star injured his quadriceps.
Pandya had taken four wickets in the tournament, including two against Pakistan. Meanwhile, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl against Pakistan. Ravi Shastri and Waqar Younis conducted the toss interviews with the India and Pakistan captains separately after PCB's request to Asian Cricket Council to keep a neutral presenter for the title clash.
Rinku Singh replaced Pandya while Shivam Dube and Jasprit Bumrah, who were rested against Sri Lanka also came back into the side. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh sit out again. Pakistan went unchanged.
“Unfortunately Hardik misses out due to a niggle,” Suryakumar said at the coin toss. This is the third time, India are playing Pakistan in this tournament. India had won both the encounters previously.
India vs Pakistan final playing XIs
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy