Sahibzada Farhan, Haris Rauf get heroic welcome before Asia Cup final

DUBAI: Pakistani fans turned out in full force at the ICC Academy on Saturday to greet their team ahead of the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 final against India.

The atmosphere was electric, with supporters chanting patriotic slogans such as “Dil Dil Pakistan” and “Jeeway Jeeway Pakistan.”

The spotlight was firmly on opener Sahibzada Farhan and fast bowler Haris Rauf, whose arrival drew loud cheers and heartfelt admiration from the crowd.

Fans said both players had “stolen their hearts,” while the duo responded warmly, shaking hands and engaging with supporters before heading into training.

Located just 1.2 kilometres from the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the ICC Academy echoed with chants of “O Shahzada…!” and “Farhan Bhai, once again…!” Meanwhile, Pashtun fans extended their best wishes to Fakhar Zaman in Pashto, saying “Best of luck.”

With the high-stakes final just a day away, excitement among Pakistani fans in Dubai has reached fever pitch, as they eagerly await their favourite stars taking the field in Sunday’s historic showdown.

The Green Shirts set up a final against India after edging past Bangladesh by 11 runs in a Super Fours encounter on September 25. The final will be the first time the arch-rivals will face each other in the tournament's history.

The 2016 champions have beaten every opposition on their path before swaggering into the final of the eight-team tournament.

Pakistan were defeated twice, first in the group stage and then in Super Fours, by an India team containing the world's top-ranked batter and bowler in the T20 format in opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy.

The two sides will lock horns in the ultimate game as tensions remain heightened due to Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav's controversial actions during their group match on September 14.

Pundits called his decision to skip a customary handshake at the toss and political statements in the post-match interview "unprecedented" and "detrimental to the spirit of the game."

Following a Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) complaint, the International Cricket Council (ICC) formally reprimanded Yadav over his political remarks, advising him to refrain from such actions in the future.

Despite the charged environment, Pakistan captain Salman Agha expressed his excitement for the final against India. "The amount of pressure on both teams will be the same. We will try to give our best and win the final," he said.