Asia Cup 2025: Captains Clash Over Controversial Scheduling

At the Asia Cup captains’ press conference, a request was made to the media to avoid questions of a political nature to maintain a comfortable atmosphere in the crowded room. However, about 15 minutes into the session, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan expressed his dissatisfaction, saying that the arrangement was ‘not ideal’.

Rashid highlighted the inconvenience of playing in Abu Dhabi while staying in Dubai, stating, “You have all three games in Abu Dhabi, but your stay is in Dubai. As a professional cricketer, you have to accept all these things, be well-prepared, and mentally strong.”

His frustration was understandable, as Afghanistan was set to play against Hong Kong just seven hours later in the intense heat of Abu Dhabi, approximately a two-hour drive from Dubai.

On a lighter note, Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka humorously admitted to feeling ‘very sleepy’ when questioned about his thoughts on the scheduling, saying, “I should answer it tomorrow. It is really hard. We played back-to-back games in Zimbabwe and then traveled here directly. We need a couple of days off; I hope the coach will allow us.” The Sri Lankan team had just completed a demanding travel schedule but fortunately didn’t have another match until they faced Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Despite some lightheartedness from Rashid and Asalanka, attention naturally shifted to the captains of India and Pakistan, Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha, as their teams were set to face each other on September 14 in Dubai. Both captains expressed that they would not restrain their players’ aggression, acknowledging the ongoing political tensions between their countries. Suryakumar remarked, “Aggression is always there on the field. Without it, I don’t think you can play the sport.” Agha added, “If someone wants to be aggressive on the field, they are more than welcome. Fast bowlers, in particular, are always aggressive, and you can’t just stop them; it fuels their performance.”

The article was published on September 9, 2025.