In a shocking setback for Team India, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Pandya, widely regarded as one of India’s biggest match-winners in crunch situations, picked up an injury during the Super Four clash against Sri Lanka. He bowled the opening over, struck early with a wicket, but walked off soon after and never returned to the field.
Speculation around his fitness grew after he was spotted on matchday alongside the team physio, moving gingerly and without spikes. At the toss, skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed the news:
“Unfortunately, Hardik misses out due to a niggle,” he said, while revealing that India had opted to bowl first.
The absence of Pandya is a massive blow to India’s balance, as he provides both batting depth and seam-bowling firepower. To cover, India drafted in Jasprit Bumrah, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh, leaving out Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
The timing of the injury could not have been more heartbreaking for Pandya. With 98 wickets in 120 T20Is, he was just two short of becoming only the second Indian bowler, after Arshdeep, to reach the 100-wicket milestone in the format. In this Asia Cup, he had claimed four wickets in six games at an economy of 8.57.
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel had earlier revealed that both Pandya and opener Abhishek Sharma suffered cramps in the Sri Lanka game. While Abhishek has been declared fit, Pandya required further medical assessment, eventually ruling him out of the final.
With the stakes sky-high in the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final, the Men in Blue will need to reshuffle their plans quickly. Pakistan, led by Salman Agha, will no doubt look to exploit the absence of India’s star all-rounder.
Playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
Also Read: Asia Cup Final 2025: Can Pakistan Halt the Indian Juggernaut in Dubai Showdown?
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