India captain skips trophy shoot with Pakistan's Agha before Asia Cup final

DUBAI: Ahead of the Asia Cup final, the customary trophy photoshoot between the Pakistan and India captains did not take place, it emerged on Sunday.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav did not appear for the joint trophy shoot with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. As a result, Salman posed alone with the trophy before the high-voltage clash.

Indian team management later told the Indian media that they had not been asked by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to attend any trophy shoot, insisting the event was never scheduled.

Reports emerged on Saturday that no trophy shoot would be held, and a final decision on whether the captains would pose together with the trophy could only be taken before the match.

During a pre-match conference a day earlier, Agha was asked about his stance on the trophy shoot and reports that India might skip the event altogether.

"They can do whatever they want. We will follow the protocol. Rest is up to them, if they want to come or not," he said.

The historic final marks the first time Pakistan and India will face each other in an Asia Cup title clash, further fueling excitement around the encounter.

The Asia Cup, inaugurated in 1984 in the UAE with Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka competing in a round-robin format, has a rich history.

India claimed the inaugural title, while the first-ever final was contested in 1986, where Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by five wickets in Colombo to secure their maiden championship.

Pakistan won their first Asia Cup in 2000, beating Sri Lanka by 39 runs in Dhaka, and added a second title in 2012.

Overall, Pakistan have featured in five Asia Cup finals, winning twice and finishing runners-up three times, most recently against Sri Lanka in 2022.

India remain the tournament's most successful team, having reached 11 finals, winning eight titles, and finishing runners-up on three occasions.