Pakistan once again faced insult on the cricket map. A Pakistani journalist labeled Afghanistan as the second best team in Asia after India in front of Pakistan captain Salman Ali Aga. The incident took place at the pre-series press conference of the UAE T20I Tri-series before the Asia Cup 2025.
India, the current T20 World Champion, who won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024, has been crowned as a favorite of the upcoming Asia Cup. This will be the first time Suryakumar Yadav will lead India in a multi-team tournament.
The UAE Asia Cup will host 2025, although the hosting rights are given to the Indian side as they had to adopt a hybrid model with their deal with PCB signed just before the Champions Trophy. India depicted all its Champions Trophy Games in UAE and emerged as the winner of the tournament in 2025.
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Salman Ali Aga’s shocking response for Afghanistan is the second best side
Recently, just before the Tri-Series began, the three captains were in a press release, which marked the presence of Salman Ali Agha for Pakistan, Muhammad Wasim for UAE and Rashid Khan for Afghanistan.
These three players will probably be seen as captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, although the host side has not yet revealed its squad. Amidst the talks, a reporter claimed Afghanistan as the second-passers of the Asia Cup.
The reporter claimed, “Afghanistan has played very well in recent times and has been claimed as the second best team in Asia.”
Agha’s response when a journalist in PC called Afghanistan the second best team
in Asia pic.twitter.com/vkd4jqimnn– 𝐀. (@was_abdd) August 28, 2025
For this, Pakistan captain, Salman Aga, who was also at the same conference, raised her eyebrows and had a satirical smile on her face, surprised by the low stature of Pakistan cricket.
Tri-Series Asia Cup starts from 2025
The Tri-series begins with the Asia Cup action in the UAE. Pakistan Cricket read something for its plans to host Afghans for the bilateral series and instead proposed the UAE to host a three-series between the three countries.
It was marked by Pakistan as an exercise, which would then take other teams in the Asia Cup tournament, where they are placed with the Archivels India, hosting the UAE, and on the other side Oman.
The three-series starts from August 29 and will continue till the final, which is to be played on 7 September. The series begins today with Pakistan and Afghanistan taking each other.
Afghanistan or Sri Lanka, who will be the second favorite under the terms of UAE? Pakistan sidelined forever
Many people in the cricketing fraternity have claimed that the Afghan side, which has dominated the recent band of cricket, is the second best side from the Asian continent. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have not recently been the most solid aspects, especially in major ICC events.
While Afghan was the semi -finalist of the previous T20 World Cup, he also defeated the choice of great people like Australia and New Zealand. Along with some great people, former Pakistani player Basit Ali has claimed Sri Lanka as the second favorite after India.
It has completely left Pakistan as a dominating side for the Asia Cup 2025.
Also read: Babar Azam raised the Pakistan team before the Asia Cup 2025
