India’s wicket-keeper batter, KL Rahul, had experienced a roller-coaster time in the 50-over format as he came into the middle-order of the line-up after opening the batting in the past. He was proven to be worthy and was picked ahead of Rishabh Pant in the ODI World Cup 2023 and the Champions Trophy 2025.

During a recent interview, Rahul recalled the time when he celebrated his century against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 after being out of the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 due to injury. The Karnataka batter revealed that the then head coach, Rahul Dravid, wasn’t pleased during his century celebration as he turned his back on the dressing room.

See Also: [WATCH] Rishabh Pant returns with funny conversations while keeping wickets during IND-A vs SA-A 1st Unofficial Test

“I'll tell you a story. So this was right after my injury. I was not supposed to play this game either. Shreyas Iyer was supposed to play, but he got a back spasm, and I ended up playing this game. For those four months, that I was out, through that hard phase, every morning I woke up and said the same thing, 'I'll be the best player in the world.” Rahul expressed on the ‘2 Sloggers’ podcast.

[WATCH] KL Rahul expresses how Rahul Dravid reacted to his century celebration in Asia Cup 2023

Rahul has smashed 3092 runs in 81 ODI innings. The 33-year-old has an average of 48.31 and a strike rate of 88.41 with the help of 18 half-centuries and seven centuries at the best score of 112 runs. He also contributed well in the recent three-match ODI series against Australia down under.

You will definitely love this side of KL Rahul.

Go & watch full epi on YouTube/2Sloggers. pic.twitter.com/IZjMQpko9o

— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) October 28, 2025

“I motivated myself. The dressing room was on this side. I turned my back on the dressing room and then this celebration. Rahul Dravid, the coach, got a little upset. 'Why did you turn your back on the dressing room?' I said, 'No, sir, I meant no disrespect. ' In the four to five months that I was out, I had a dream that there was a statue of me with me celebrating like that.” Rahul shed light in the podcast.

The veteran also looked back at Dravid’s reaction when he heard about the salute dream. The right-handed batter remained unbeaten on 111 off 106 balls in Colombo.

KL Rahul recently shared an interesting anecdote from his century against Pakistan during the 2023 Asia Cup, recalling a light-hearted exchange with head coach Rahul Dravid after the match.

Speaking on the ‘2 Sloggers’ YouTube show, Rahul revealed that Dravid wasn’t particularly pleased with one part of his celebration. The coach questioned him about turning his back to the dressing room after reaching the milestone, a gesture Dravid found a bit disrespectful at first glance.

Rahul clarified that there was no intent to upset anyone — it was simply a spontaneous reaction filled with emotion after returning from injury. Once the misunderstanding was cleared up, both shared a laugh about the moment. The story offered fans a glimpse into the strong bond and open communication between Rahul and Dravid, reflecting the trust and light-hearted atmosphere within the Indian dressing room.

See Also: From Phil Hughes to Shreyas Iyer: Notable freak injuries on the Cricket field

KL Rahul Shares an Interesting Story of 2023 Asia Cup:

While recalling the moment, KL Rahul shared, “ The dressing room was on this side, and I turned my back to it while doing the celebration. Rahul Dravid, our coach, was a little upset and asked why I turned my back on the dressing room.”

Rahul explained that his celebration had no intention of being disrespectful. He shared that it was a personal expression, born out of his emotional journey during four to five months of injury recovery. The gesture reflected his inner resilience and the struggles he faced while working hard to make a successful comeback to the team.

He further said, “ I told him, ‘No sir, I didn’t mean it as disrespect.’ During those months I was out injured, I had a dream about this celebration — like a statue pose. It wasn’t mine alone; it felt like it belonged to everyone. That’s why this celebration is so special to me.”

You will definitely love this side of KL Rahul.

Go & watch full epi on YouTube/2Sloggers. pic.twitter.com/IZjMQpko9o

— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) October 28, 2025

The 2023 Asia Cup became a remarkable comeback chapter for KL Rahul. Originally not part of the playing XI, he was called in unexpectedly after Shreyas Iyer’s back spasm. Rising to the occasion, Rahul struck a brilliant century alongside Virat Kohli, playing a key role in one of India’s most commanding victories of the tournament.

Rahul acknowledged that 2023 was among the toughest phases of his career, as he battled a major thigh injury sustained during an IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The setback was severe enough to require surgery, testing his resilience both physically and mentally throughout his recovery journey. He said, “Oh yes, it was 2023… a bad, bad year.”

Rahul revealed that his recovery phase wasn’t easy, as he not only struggled with physical pain but also faced intense criticism, making the rehabilitation period mentally and emotionally challenging. He added, “Every morning, I woke up and told myself the same thing — that I’ll be the best player in the world. That’s how I kept motivating myself to keep going.”

In the latest update from the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Bali, Indonesia, tensions have arisen between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board regarding unresolved financial matters from the co-hosting of the Asia Cup 2023. Originally planned to take place in Pakistan, the tournament had to be relocated to Sri Lanka due to the BCCI’s security concerns regarding the Indian team’s visit.

During the event, the PCB, implementing a hybrid model for the 50-over tournament, entered into agreements with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board concerning expenses such as hotels, flights, accommodation, and venue charges. The PCB committed to paying $281,700 for four chartered planes and approximately $2,069,885 for venue charges in Sri Lanka.

Najam Sethi, the then-chief overseeing the hosting proceedings, made a partial payment of 75% and agreed to settle the remaining amount after the tournament. However, the outstanding hotel bills remain unpaid, prompting Sri Lankan Cricket Board President Shami Silva to address the issue during the recent ACC meeting, as reported by Cricket Pakistan.

ACC President Jay Shah, present at the meeting, urged Silva to arrange direct discussions with the PCB to address the financial concerns. His enigmatic request raises speculation about his willingness to assist the Pakistani board.

In response, the PCB asserted that the ACC shares responsibility for the outstanding payments, arguing that the ACC compelled them to organize the Asia Cup 2023 using a hybrid model. The PCB further disclosed that the ACC had allocated only $2.5 million as hosting fees, significantly less than the actual cost, which exceeded the 4 million mark to organize the tournament.

PCB Contemplates Strategic Steps in Response to Financial Challenges and Office Tensions

Cricket in Pakistan faces challenges amid the search for a new PCB chief after Zaka Ashraf’s resignation. Team director role discussions, financial strains, and internal board disputes coincide with SLC raising concerns, impacting both the office and the team’s performance. Post-CWC 2023, with Babar Azam stepping down, Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi took on Test and T20I captaincy, starting their tenure with losses to Australia and New Zealand, respectively.

As the Pakistan Super League looms on the horizon, the focus may temporarily shift to the 9th edition. Nevertheless, the ongoing financial constraints between PCB and SLC are anticipated to intensify in the days ahead.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially disclosed the lineup for the India U19 team set to compete in the upcoming ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2023. Consisting of a robust 15-player squad, the governing body has also designated three standby players for the journey.

Uday Saharan will lead the team, supported by Saumy Kumar Pandey as vice-captain. The squad includes wicketkeepers Aravelly Avanish Rao and Innesh Mahajan, providing a platform for emerging talents to showcase their skills and solidify their presence in the U19 Asia Cup.

See Also:Sri Lanka Cricket Provides Clarification on Hasaranga and Chameera’s World Cup Squad Controversy

Defending champions India, with a remarkable eight-time title record, aspire to clinch their ninth victory. In addition to the primary squad and standby players, BCCI has identified four reserve players who will not join the touring contingent.

These young players, having demonstrated their prowess in domestic cricket, now have a significant opportunity to make a name for themselves. The tournament is scheduled to commence on December 8th, with India commencing their campaign against Afghanistan at the ICC Academy Oval – 1.

India U19 squad:Arshin Kulkarni, Adarsh Singh, Rudra Mayur Patel, Sachin Dhas, Priyanshu Moliya, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan (C), Aravelly Avanish Rao (WK), Saumy Kumar Pandey (VC), Murugan Abhishek, Innesh Mahajan (WK), Dhanush Gowda, Aaradhya Shukla, Raj Limbani, Naman Tiwari

Travelling standby players: Prem Devkar, Ansh Gosai, Md. Amaan

Reserve players: Digvijay Patil, Jayanth Goyat, P Vignesh, Kiran Chormale.

ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2023 Schedule:

Long and patient partnerships have been somewhat scarce in recent times, with T20 cricket series and leagues taking center stage in the past few months. However, the onset of the Asia Cup has reintroduced us to some memorable partnerships. Whether it’s the commanding performance of Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed against Nepal or the crisis-solving collaboration of Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya against Pakistan, noteworthy partnerships have become a highlight of the tournament and yesterday’s display was no exception.

While Mehidy Hasan has long been acknowledged for his precision as a bowler, his batting abilities have often taken a back seat. However, since the year 2022, there has been a noticeable shift in his batting performance. In ODIs, he has maintained an average of 34 with a striking rate approaching 80, underscoring his growing proficiency with the bat. The last time he opened the innings for Bangladesh dates back to the 2018 Asia Cup finals against India. In that memorable match, he partnered brilliantly with Litton Das, contributing a valuable 32 runs to the team’s cause.

Fast forward to 5 years from then, Bangladesh provided a similar role to Mehidy ahead of their must win match against Afghanistan. After the loss of 2 wickets within the 10 over mark, he was joined in by Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has been one of the pillars of Bangladesh’s batting for the past couple of years. Together, they knitted a brilliant 194 run stand and ensure that Afghanistan are provided with a monumental task in hand.

In this article, we will breakdown this partnership by delving into a phase wise analysis.

See Also: Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya’s Remarkable Partnership Rescues India from an Early Crisis – Cricket Winner

See Also: Key Statistical Insights from the 4th Match of the Asia Cup: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan – Cricket Winner

Mehidy hasan and Najmul Shanto’s record breaking stand

Both the batters did start off on a slow note due to the fall of two quick wickets, but they tried to maintain a healthy run rate by scoring boundaries of mediocre deliveries. Within the first 40 balls, while they did have a good boundary percentage, their dot percentage was equally high which in turn resulted in their low non boundary strike rate. But once the spinners started to bowl at tandem in the middle overs, the two batters kept rotating the strike frequently and ensured that the frequency in dot balls reduced. This is further backed by their high non boundary strike rate in the next 40 deliveries.

After both batsmen had established themselves at the crease, they began to actively seek ways to boost the run rate by accumulating more boundaries. This intent is reflected in the rise in their boundary percentage from the 81st to the 140th delivery of their partnership. However, their focus on finding the fence didn’t deter them from capitalizing on quick singles and twos, as their non-boundary strike rate remained impressively high.

While their last phase was only about 10 deliveries, they maximized the scoring rate and had a strike rate of 240 in the last phase. It was cut short due to the niggle that Mehidy Hasan picked up in his long stay at the crease. The remarkable partnership resulted in Bangladesh posting an imposing total of 334 runs, a target that proved insurmountable for Afghanistan to chase down.

The Indian cricket board- BCCI, continues to advocate for the Asia Cup to be relocated entirely outside of Pakistan to a neutral location. An unofficial group of Asia Cup officials will be seen on the side lines of the IPL 2023 final on Sunday in Ahmedabad, according to reports.

“The respective presidents of the Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka Cricket Boards will grace the IPL 2023 final to be held on May 28 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. We will hold discussions with them to outline the future course of action in relation to Asia Cup 2023,”

BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council, said.

The BCCI has agreed to a hybrid match staging model, according to some Pakistani media. Pakistan’s home match against Nepal, which will be played in Lahore before the tournament moves to a neutral venue, is one of the first four non-India matches in this model, which was proposed by Pakistan Cricket Board head Najam Sethi. Officials with the BCCI have denied these reports.

The Indian board, it is learnt, likes to hold the whole competition in Sri Lanka. In addition to batting for the hybrid model, Pakistan wants UAE to be the neutral venue for higher gate receipts, despite the hot weather.

The PCB has also connected their participation in the October-November ODI World Cup in India to the dispute over the Asia Cup. Four months prior to the event, the schedule for the marquee event has not yet been released.

The proposal has been sent to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) by PCB chairman Najam Sethi. Now, before taking a call, ACC President Jay Shah, who is also the BCCI secretary, will evaluate the proposal over the next two days. However, India cannot rule out a “boycott” because the BCCI has been insistent on shifting the entire tournament.

What are PCB’s proposals?

Proposal 1: India plays at a neutral venue, while Pakistan hosts all games. 

Proposal 2: India plays all of their games in a neutral location in the second phase of the tournament, with Pakistan hosting the first round. A neutral location will also be used for the final.

“I have not seen the proposal. But there has been no change in our stance. We want the tournament to be played at a neutral venue and not the UAE. We can’t risk any more injuries with the kind of heat there. Sri Lanka is best suited for the tournament. As of now, we have not discussed anything about boycotting it. Let’s first understand the situation and then we will take a call,”

a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.

It is important to note that PCB’s “hybrid” model had been rejected by BCCI. All things being equal, BCCI requested the whole scene to be moved to an impartial setting, ideally Sri Lanka. Bangladesh Cricket Board supported PCB’s decision, while Sri Lanka Cricket supported BCCI’s claims. Additionally, the PCB threatened to cancel the bilateral Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

However, the BCCI’s stubbornness is gradually losing support. According to GeoTV, Pakistan have gotten backing from SLC and BCB on the crossover model. Afghanistan stayed nonpartisan yet as PCB assisted them with a two-sided series in the UAE last month, all things considered, Pakistan will have their help.

In the meantime, BCCI has stayed resolute on a nonpartisan setting. India will never visit Pakistan, even for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, according to the BCCI. PCB has turned to cricket diplomacy after its World Cup boycott threats failed.

ACC has now called an emergency meeting to discuss the two proposals this week. At the end of the month, a final decision on that is anticipated. Notwithstanding, BCCI is firm in its choice, “Neutral venue”.

“See, all 5 nations need to be on the same page for this to go ahead. We want the tournament to be shifted out entirely and that is for everyone’s safety considering the political tension in Pakistan. We will know more this week when we meet other stakeholders,”

the BCCI official told InsideSport.

Pakistan threatened to boycott the tournament following the BCCI’s rejection of the initial hybrid model proposal. Instead, PCB began discussing the possibility of a tri-nation series in the event that neither Pakistan nor the Asia Cup takes place.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) executive Najam Sethi has encouraged BCCI to take a judicious choice with respect to its position on not heading out to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. In 2022, Pakistan was awarded the right to host the continental tournament. However, India may be reluctant to travel to Pakistan because of political tensions between the two nations.

Sethi made a statement regarding the issue, stating that he is not concerned about the Asia Cup but rather the ODI World Cup 2023, which may be held in India on October 5. He went on to say that the boycotting game will continue if the two boards don’t find a compromise right now.

“BCCI should take a good, rational decision so that we don’t have any problems going forward. I’m not worried about the Asia Cup, it’s the World Cup, and India should not be looking at a situation where we end up boycotting the Asia Cup and also the World Cup and then India ends up boycotting the Champions Trophy – there’ll be a huge mess,”

PCB chairman Najam Sethi was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Reports claim that Pakistan presented the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) with a hybrid model in which India would have played its matches in the United Arab Emirates while the other teams would have played in Pakistan. However, logistical issues are said to have hindered the model’s reception by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

How can you ignore our team and our country? : Najam Sethi

Further talking about the discussion, Sethi said that Pakistan can’t be overlooked as they’re positioned higher than India in ICC ODI rankings and consequently ICC ought to step in to determine the issue.

“And so we (Pakistan) are right at the top (ODI rankings). So the thing is, how can you ignore our team and our country? So the ICC should step in. But my sense is that India would not like the ICC to step in,”

he added.

Notably, India last visited Pakistan in 2008 when the Asian Cup was held there. Since their last bilateral series in India in 2012-2013, the two teams have only met in multi-national competitions.

Najam Sethi, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, stated that the Indian team’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 would have an effect on future ICC tournaments hosted by the two neighboring nations, as Pakistan is also scheduled to host the Champions Trophy in 2025.

The dispute over the 2023 Asia Cup between India and Pakistan is getting worse even though the tournament is scheduled to start in three months. The Asian Cricket Council hasn’t decided where the high-octane tournament will be held, and BCCI president Jay Shah has already said that India won’t be going to Pakistan for the Asia Cup because of security concerns and political tensions between the two countries.

Najam Sethi told the Indian Express that India can accept the hybrid model if they want to. This model allows both teams to play their ICC games in different countries in the future. Men in Green can play the ODI World Cup games in Bangladesh or other neutral venues in 2023, and India can play the Champions Trophy games in other neutral venues in 2025.

“If India now wants to have a neutral venue and accepts the hybrid model, then we’ll use the same hybrid model in the World Cup. Pakistan can play its World Cup matches in Dhaka or any other venue to which India agrees, and similarly in the Champions Trophy. So all the other countries can come and play in Pakistan but India can play at a neutral venue. So this is a model that goes forward and resolves this political logjam,”

Najam Sethi said.

This year’s Asia Cup will be held in Sri Lanka, according to reports. It will be interesting to see if Pakistan participates if the tournament is moved outside of Pakistan.

We Shall Not Participate In The Asia Cup If The ACC Requires That All Games Be Held At One Location – Najam Sethi Najam Sethi stated that the Asian Cricket Council must approve the hybrid model, that no decision will be made regarding the Asia Cup in 2023, and that Pakistan will not participate in the Asia Cup if it is relocated outside of their country.

“No decision has yet been taken about whether it will be the UAE or Sri Lanka, or it could be a third venue. We don’t know. The first question is, is the hybrid model that we’ve proposed acceptable? Are we going to play by those rules? If the ACC insists that all games are to be held at one venue, we shall not play the Asia Cup,” 

Najam Sethi added.

“We have come to India twice since 2008 to play matches. India has not come to Pakistan. We didn’t object because we thought yes, it’s true that the security situation in Pakistan is a problem.”

he further added.

At this point, every one of the two-sided relations among India and Pakistan are suspended because of political reasons. The rivals do not compete in bilateral series and only compete against one another during ICC events or the Asia Cup. The two teams last played each other in a bilateral series in 2012/13, after which they only met at ICC events.

There are still talks about hosting the 2023 Asia Cup. During an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently proposed a hybrid model for hosting the continental tournament, with India playing their matches in the United Arab Emirates. However, both the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) rejected it.

Now, Pakistan’s Junaid Khan, a fast bowler, has criticized India for not coming to Pakistan for the upcoming Asia Cup. He criticized India’s position and inquired as to why other international teams do not worry about security. Additionally, he inquired as to whether the Indian players are aliens from another planet.

“The situation in Pakistan is good. If other teams are coming, such as Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand, and they have no security problems, then why does India have a problem? What is the reason for this? Are they Aliens from another world who have security problems? “

Junaid was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

The ICC should look into these issues; otherwise, cricket without Pakistan is impossible: Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan went on to say that these issues should be investigated by the International Cricket Council (ICC). He likewise said that Pakistan is certainly not a small team, referencing that they arrived at the highest point of the ODI team rankings and are still among the main three teams.

Outstandingly, Pakistan climbed to the highest point of the ODI team rankings interestingly since the ICC officially acknowledged the rankings in January 2005 after their success in the fourth ODI against New Zealand. However, their fifth and final ODI defeat to the Kiwis cost them the top spot.

“The ICC should look into these issues; otherwise, cricket without Pakistan is impossible. Pakistan is not a small team; just a few days ago, Pakistan was the world’s number one team and is still among the top three teams,”

he added.