Pakistan and South Africa will face each other in a 3-match T20I series starting on October 28, 2025 after a 2-match red-ball series. The PAK vs SA Test series ended in a draw, with both teams winning one match each. In the T20I series, the first match between PAK and SA is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan and South Africa have an unspoken rivalry when it comes to the shortest format of cricket. In the past, the two teams have played each other 24 times, and each has won 12 games. Pakistan has won 3 out of the last 5 T20I fixtures, while the Proteas won twice

Also Read: ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27: UAE vs USA Dream11 Prediction 86th Match Fantasy Cricket Tips, Probable Playing XI

PAK vs SA Match Details

• Match: Pakistan vs South Africa , 1st T20I 

• Date: 28th October 2025

• Time: 8.30 PM IST

• Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 

• Live Streaming: FanCode

PAK vs SA Weather Report

Pitch Report

The surface here will be good for batting with very short boundaries on either side. We can expect a high-scoring fixture, and both teams will prefer chasing.

Top Batters to Watch – PAK vs SA

• Babar Azam (PAK): 4223 runs in T20I 

• Q de Kock (SA): 2585 runs in T20I 

• Reeza Hendricks (SA): 2389 runs in T20I 

Top Bowlers to Watch – PAK vs SA

• Shaheen Afridi (PAK): 118 wickets in T20I 

• Lungi Ngidi (SA): 70 wickets in T20I 

• Naseem Shah (PAK): 25 wickets in T20I 

PAK vs SA Recent Form

PAK vs SA Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1: If SA Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 55–65

• Predicted Total: 180- 200

• Match Result: SA to win

Scenario 2: If PAK Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 40–50

• Predicted Total: 150–170

• Match Result: SA to win

Who Will Hit the Most Sixes?

Who Will Hit the Most Fours?

PAK vs SA Predicted Playing XIs

South Africa 

Donovan Ferreira (Captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brewis, Lhuan dre-Pretorius, Matthew Breetzke, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Nqabayomzi Peter, George Linde and Nandre Burger.

Pakistan 

Salman Agha (captain), Usman Khan (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Abdul Samad, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Tariq.

PAK vs SA Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?

We predict that South Africa will win the 1st T20I match. The likes of Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brewis will be key players to watch out for.

NZ vs ENG Match FAQs

Q1. Where can I watch the PAK vs SA live match?

You can watch the live streaming on the FanCode app and website.

Q2. Who will win today’s PAK vs SA ODI match?

According to our today match prediction, South Africa are favourites to win this encounter.

Q3. What is the head-to-head record between Pakistan and South Africa in ODIs?

Pakistan holds the upper hand in last five T20I head-to-head meetings against South Africa 

Pakistan have announced their squads for the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa at home. The same T20I squad will also play in the tri-nation series featuring Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Pakistan Announce Squads for South Africa Series and Tri-Nation T20I Series

Shaheen Shah Afridi will captain the ODI side, while Salman Ali Agha takes charge of the T20I team. Babar Azam returns to the T20I setup after a break, and Naseem Shah also makes his comeback.

🚨 BABAR AZAM MAKES A COMEBACK 🚨

- Babar Azam has been named in Pakistan’s T20I squad for the South Africa series and Tri-Series. ✅ pic.twitter.com/xxiy5YhFpf

— Sheri. (@CallMeSheri1_) October 23, 2025

New faces Abdul Samad and Usman Tariq have been included, while Mohammad Haris, Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, and Sufiyan Muqeem have missed out. In the ODI squad, Haseebullah Khan earns a spot after strong performances in domestic cricket.

Pakistan ODI Squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (C), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.

ALSO READ: [WATCH] Mitchell Marsh's fabulous catch dismisses Shubman Gill's mistimed drive during AUS vs IND 2nd ODI

Pakistan T20I Squad (for South Africa and Tri-Nation Series):
Salman Ali Agha (C), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.

On Monday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially named Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new captain of the Pakistan men’s ODI team, succeeding Mohammad Rizwan. The announcement marks a major leadership change ahead of the upcoming international season.

According to reports from TimesofIndia.com, Rizwan’s removal was not purely performance-related but stemmed from internal disagreements with the board. The wicketkeeper-batter reportedly declined to participate in promotional activities involving betting companies, which created tension with PCB officials.

Rizwan, known for his strong values and principles, has often taken a stand on moral and ethical grounds. His refusal to endorse betting brands is said to have played a decisive role in the leadership shift. With Afridi taking over, PCB is aiming for a fresh direction, while Rizwan’s decision continues to draw mixed reactions from fans and cricketing circles.

See Also: [WATCH] “Pataake kahan hai?” – Arshdeep and Kuldeep’s fun diwali reel goes viral during Aussie tour

Reason of Rizwan’s Captaincy Snub:

A PCB insider revealed to TimesofIndia.com,” Rizwan had informed the PCB that he wouldn’t endorse betting companies, which is the main reason behind his sacking. He was against the PCB’s collaboration with surrogate betting firms.”

Earlier in the year, during his stint with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Rizwan declined to endorse a betting company. He opted to play without the primary sponsor’s logo, which represented a gambling brand, choosing to stay true to his personal beliefs.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif suggested that another possible reason behind Mohammad Rizwan’s removal as ODI captain could be his outspoken stance on the Palestine issue. Latif hinted that Rizwan’s strong public comments may have influenced the Pakistan Cricket Board’s final decision.

On his YouTube channel Rashid Latif said, “ If he has spoken about Palestine, will you remove him from captaincy? This mindset that there would be non-Islamic captains in an Islamic country is abysmal.”

Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named Pakistan’s ODI captain for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa, set to be held at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from November 4 to 8.

His appointment was confirmed after a key meeting in Islamabad that included white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director of High Performance Aqib Javed, and several members of the selection committee. The decision reflects the board’s confidence in Shaheen’s leadership abilities as Pakistan looks to build momentum ahead of future international commitments.

Pakistan’s Leadership Puzzle Continues to Shift:

Since 2023, Pakistan cricket has seen constant captaincy reshuffles, with several players taking charge across formats under varying PCB regimes. The sequence began on March 13, 2023, when Shadab Khan was named skipper for the T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah during Najam Sethi’s tenure.

On November 15, 2023, Pakistan cricket underwent a major leadership change as Babar Azam resigned from captaincy across all formats. Under Zaka Ashraf’s administration, Shaheen Shah Afridi was appointed T20I captain, while Shan Masood was entrusted with leading the Test side, marking a new phase in Pakistan’s leadership transition.

On March 29, 2024, Pakistan’s captaincy saga continued as Shaheen Afridi was removed from his white-ball leadership role by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Two days later, Babar Azam was reinstated as T20I captain to guide the team in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

However, Babar’s comeback didn’t last long. On October 1, 2024, he stepped down once again from white-ball captaincy. Soon after, Mohammad Rizwan took over the role on October 27, 2024, under the same administration. This frequent change of leadership highlighted the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Pakistan cricket’s direction and stability.

The captaincy shuffle carried on into 2025, with Salman Ali Agha taking over as T20I captain on March 4, marking yet another leadership shift. Later, on October 20, 2025, Shaheen Shah Afridi reclaimed a leadership role, this time being appointed Pakistan’s ODI captain once again under Mohsin Naqvi’s administration.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sacked Mohammad Rizwan as their ODI captain, with the left-arm veteran pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi, getting the responsibility. The decision was announced by the board shortly after the end of the opening day of the second Rawalpindi Test against South Afridi where both these two individuals were performing.

No reason has been handed in the statement for replacing Rizwan for Pakistan. The wicket-keeper batter hasn’t even be mentioned in the statement. The board decided after the meeting in Islamabad between the selection committee and the white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson.

See Also: Jammu & Kashmir’s first India representative announces retirement from cricket

Rizwan’s removal was all but inevitable when the board put the statement over the weekend declining to confirm Rizwan as the ODI captain ahead of the white-ball leg of the Protea series. It however revealed that Hesson had asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, to arrange the meeting with the selection and advisory committee to appoint the new leader of the side.

Shaheen Shah Afridi named as Pakistan’s ODI captain ahead of South Africa series

Afridi’s last foray as the white-ball captain wasn’t a happy experience as he was asked to lead the T20I side for the series against New Zealand in January last year. They ended up losing it by 4-1 margin before he was replaced in similar circumstances to Rizwan’s sacking at the moment with the chairman pointedly refusing the statement of confirming that he would continue in the role.

Pakistan will now have three different captains across the formats with Shan Masood shouldering the responsibility of the longest format and Salman Ali Agha taking over the T20I leadership. Since becoming the ODI captain last year, Rizwan is four runs short of the highest scorer for the national side with an average of just under 42. He led them to series win in Australia and South Africa in 2024.

Afridi pulls on the good form in the format as he was their leading wicket-taker last year in ODI cricket. He was central to their away wins in the Rainbow and Australia. Since the start of the 2023 World Cup, no fast bowler from a Fill Member nation has more wickets than his 45, which have come at more than two wickets a game.

The left-handed opening batter of the Indian side, Abhishek Sharma, cooked Pakistan’s premier pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi, after India earned their ninth title of the Asia Cup in 2025 as they beat Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. They didn’t get a good start with the bat, though, for 20 runs inside the first four overs.

Abhishek revealed that he always planned to go after the pacers from the opening over and didn’t even hesitate to go against the ‘premium pacer’, which was perhaps indicated to either Afridi or Haris Rauf. The latter leaked 50 runs at an economy rate of 13.60.

See Also: Danish Kaneria takes dig at Pakistan after defeat against India in Asia Cup 2025 Final

“I mean, if you see that I had a plan, if I get spinners or pacers in the powerplay, I'm going to utilize that powerplay. Because if you see any bowler, even a fast bowler, any of the premium fast bowlers as well, I want to go from the first ball, no matter who the bowler is. And obviously, that's going to make me give that impact to the team. And that's what I want to do.” Abhishek expressed in the post-match presentation.

Watch: Abhishek Sharma takes a dig at Shaheen Afridi after Asia Cup 2025 final

Abhishek finished the Asia Cup 2025 as the leading run-getter with 314 runs in seven innings at an average of under 45 and a strike rate of 200 with the help of 32 boundaries and 19 sixes.

Abhishek Sharma cooked shaheen afridi 😭 pic.twitter.com/UUMXwvQgOX

— Wellu (@Wellutwt) September 28, 2025

“Getting a car is always a pleasure. (How has this tournament helped you?) I mean, of course, getting into this team after winning the World Cup wasn't easy for any opener. But if you see, we had a plan that we wanted to play a game, you know, that we have to show intent from the first ball. So that was my plan, I worked really hard on that.” Abhishek addressed.

“And if you're playing like this, you need special support from your coach and captain. I think that was the one thing I was getting from them throughout the tournament, before this as well. So obviously, my plan was pretty much clear that, you know, if I do well, if I get that impact, and it's for my team, my team should win.” The southpaw concluded in the post-match presentation.

For the entire tournament, Shaheen Shah Afridi looked a bit cold with the ball as he couldn’t pick wickets and control the flow of runs during the Asia Cup 2025 against India. However, against the other teams, he continued to show the same dominance with the new ball inside the power play. And during the final, he backed it up.

Pakistan didn’t put a huge score on the board in their allotted 20 overs. Their openers put a strong base with the bat, thanks to the 84-run stand before getting bundled out for just 146 runs in their first innings. The three spinners, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel, picked up eight wickets between them.

See Also: [WATCH] Faheem Ashraf draws first blood with Abhishek Sharma's wicket during IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 final

On the last ball of the fourth over, Faheem Ashraf went for a short ball as Shubman Gill, having already got a boundary on the previous delivery, charged down the ground to nail the ball over the rope. But he couldn’t time the ball properly and was caught by the hands of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who leaped to grab the catch.

Watch: Shaheen Afridi takes brilliant catch to dismiss Shubman Gill during IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 final

On the third ball of the third over, Afridi had already collected the vital wicket of Suryakumar Yadav. The Indian T20I captain looked to dance down the target, but ended up being early on the shot and couldn’t manage to get it over the ring as the mid-off fielder dived forward to grab the catch, which the replays confirmed as a wicket.

गिल, क्यों? 🤦‍♂️ एक ओवर में 8 रन के बाद ये क्या ग़ैर-ज़रूरी शॉट था? आप क्रीज़ पर रहते तो जीत तय थी। बहुत निराशा हुई। 💔#ShubmanGill #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/Fks4Ah6sbf

— Abhinit Kumar 🇮🇳 (@TheAbhinitKumar) September 28, 2025

Pakistan also got the wicket of Abhishek Sharma for five runs. He couldn’t continue the flow with the bat against the slow delivery, as his ultra-aggressive mindset brought the wicket of the opening batter for five runs. It was a huge blow for the Indian side as the southpaw had already celebrated three half-centuries with the bat.

India ended with 36 runs in the powerplay for the loss of three wickets as both Faheem and Afridi picked up three wickets each in the first six overs.

Both teams have dominated throughout the tournament and now face each other in the most-awaited clash of the season. India will rely on Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav. Pakistan will count on Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, and Saim Ayub to deliver in the high-pressure final.

The Indian team will have the upper hand, as they have marched through the tournament undefeated, including two convincing wins over Pakistan in the group stage.

IND vs PAK Match Details

Date: 28th September, 2025

Time: 8:00 PM IST

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

IND vs PAK Weather Report

There are no signs of any rain interruptions throughout the game. It is pleasant conditions and perfect throughout the game.

Also Read: NEP vs WI Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win the 1st T20I?

Top Batters IND vs PAK

• Abhishek Sharma (IND) - 309 runs in this tournament 

• Sahibzada Farhan (PAK) - 160 runs in this tournament 

• Tilak Varma (IND) - 144 runs in this tournament 

Top Bowler IND vs PAK

• Kuldeep Yadav (IND) - 13 wickets in this tournament 

• Shaheen Afridi (PAK) - 9 wickets in this tournament 

• Haris Rauf (PAK) - 9 wickets in this tournament 

IND vs PAK Recent Performance

IND vs PAK Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If IND bats first

• First Innings score prediction - IND is expected to score 175-190 runs

• Result prediction- IND will win the match by 20-30 runs

Scenario 2- If the SL bats first

• First Innings score prediction- PAK is expected to score 140-155 runs.

• Result prediction- IND will win the match by 6 wickets 

IND vs PAK Predicted Playing XI

India (IND) Playing XI 

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Pakistan (PAK) Playing XI 

Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed.

IND vs PAK Complete Squad

India - 

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

Pakistan -

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.

IND vs PAK Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

India to win

We predict that India will win this Asia Cup 2025 match. Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav will be key players to watch out for.

Pakistan secured their spot in the Asia Cup 2025 final after prevailing over Bangladesh by 11 runs in a nailbiting low-scoring thriller at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, allowing them to face bitter rivals India for the first time in an Asia Cup final.

Bangladesh, led by stand-in skipper Jaker Ali, chose to bowl first. The Bangladesh bowlers were outstanding, restricting Pakistan to 135/8. Taskin Ahmed finished with 3/28, while leg-spinner Rishad Hossain took a commendable 2/18. Pakistan’s batting struggled, losing wickets regularly. Sahibzada Farhan fell in the first over, and Saim Ayub recorded his fourth duck in six innings. Fakhar Zaman scored 13 before departing, and Hussain Talat was soon out. Mohammad Haris (31 off 23) and Mohammad Nawaz (25 off 15) added some runs, while Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed 19, hitting the first six of the innings before falling to Taskin.

Bangladesh’s chase began poorly as Shaheen Afridi struck in the opening over to remove Parvez Hossain Emon and then dismissed Towhid Hridoy. Saif Hassan counterattacked with 18 off 15 but fell to Haris Rauf, triggering a collapse. Shamim Hossain (30 off 25) tried to stabilize the innings, but wickets continued to fall. Saim Ayub picked up two important wickets, including captain Jaker Ali. Haris Rauf dismissed Tanzim Sakib and Taskin Ahmed in quick succession, while Shaheen Afridi claimed a three-wicket haul. Bangladesh’s lower order fought hard, with Rishad Hossain scoring 16 off 11, but they eventually fell short, finishing on 124/9.

PAK vs BAN: Who Said What?

Shaheen Shah Afridi (Player of the Match):

"I will dedicate this award to my beautiful wife and son who are here. You need early breakthroughs. Those three overs made the difference in the powerplay. I was working on the slower ball. It came out well in the main time. Team decided I will go with Nawaz and Faheem behind me. I got two sixes and that gave us the momentum."

See Also: WATCH: Saim Ayub’s batting woes continue with fourth duck in Asia Cup 2025 PAK vs BAN Super 4 clash

Salman Agha (Pakistan Captain):

"If you win these kind of games, then we must be a special team. Everyone played really well. There is some improvement needed in batting. But we will work on that. Shaheen is a special player. He does what the team needs of him. Very happy for him. We were 15 runs short. The way we bowled up front, we will create pressure. We bowled well with the new ball. More often that not you will games if you bowl like this. We have been fielding well. Shane has been working hard on us. We have been having extra sessions. Mike Hesson said if you cant field, you wont be in the team. We are a good enough team to beat anyone. We will come back on Sunday and try and do that."

Jaker Ali (Bangladesh Captain):

"As a batting unit, last two games we lost it. We did good work with the bowling unit. Yesterday also the batting cost us the game. I tried to take those chances. I tried to adjust to the captaincy. Our bowlers Rishad and then Said with the bat. Unfortunately, we didn't support Saif much."

Shaheen Shah Afridi, the main fast bowler for Pakistan, surprised fans with his batting during the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match against Bangladesh. While Afridi is known mostly for his pace and swing, he showed his power-hitting ability as he added important runs for Pakistan at a difficult point in the match.

The left-hander’s first big moment came in the 12.3 over when he hammered Tanzim Hasan Sakib for a huge 95-metre six over deep mid-wicket. Just one over later, at 13.1, he greeted Taskin Ahmed with another massive strike, this time an 87-metre six over the same region. The crowd enjoyed every bit of Afridi’s fearless hitting.

He finished with 19 runs from 13 balls, including two sixes. His short knock gave Pakistan’s innings some life at a time when the batting order was collapsing. Afridi’s confidence with the bat has been growing in recent months, and this innings again showed that he can be a useful lower-order hitter.

Afridi’s All-Round Show in Asia Cup 2025

Afridi’s batting form has been progressively picking up since the Pakistan Super League, which is now being evidenced at the international level. During this Asia Cup, he has made 87 runs in 4 innings with an outstanding strike rate of 181.25. With the ball, he has been consistent as well. He has taken 6 wickets in 5 innings whilst maintaining an economy rate of 7.54. His potential to be able to contribute in both departments makes him one of Pakistan's best assets.

Watch the video here

Deposit kya mid wicket py….

Shaheen shah Afaridi you can do it…
Come in boys….#BeYourOwnBOSS #PakvsBan #AsiaCup2025 #pekgy pic.twitter.com/nKSs3vFHBz

— Dr. Rumi (@DrRumi95) September 25, 2025

See Also: Babar Azam likely to return for Pakistan in T20I series vs South Africa

At the time of writing, Pakistan was 94/6 in 16 overs after being asked to bat first by Bangladesh. With a run rate of 5.88, Pakistan’s lower order faces the big task of guiding the team to a fighting total in this crucial Super Four match.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav recently stirred discussions by stating that the India-Pakistan contests should not be called a rivalry. The skipper made this claim following India’s second convincing win over Pakistan within a week during the Asia Cup 2025. His remarks came in the backdrop of India’s dominant performances, which many felt spoke for themselves.

The comments caught the attention of cricket fans and analysts alike, as India and Pakistan matches are traditionally billed as high-voltage encounters. While Suryakumar sought to downplay the so-called “rivalry,” the results on the field reflected India’s superiority in recent clashes. His statement highlighted that the gap between the teams has grown and that cricketing contests should focus more on performance than emotions or narratives.

Ahead of Pakistan’s crucial knockout match against Bangladesh, the remarks also drew a reaction from the country’s camp. A Pakistan pacer responded to Suryakumar’s statement, underlining the ongoing discourse around the cricketing and competitive dynamics between the two nations in the Asia Cup 2025.

See Also: 'You have to play...'- Phil Salt recalls how his wife convinced him to play IPL 2025 final for RCB

Pakistan Pacer’s Responded to Indian Skipper’s Statement on this Rivalry:

After winning against Pakistan in the Super 4 stage, Indian Skipper Suryakumar Yadav attended the post-match press conference. A journalist asked him about the most cherished India-Pakistan rivalry. He replied, “ I think you should stop asking questions on the rivalry because rivalry is when both sides play 15-20 matches, and one side is ahead by 8-7. It is called playing good cricket and a rivalry. 3-0, 10-1, I don't know what the stat is, but this is not a rivalry anymore.”

Captain Suryakumar Yadav in the PC. 🔥pic.twitter.com/thOQeeikof

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 22, 2025

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi responded to Suryakumar Yadav’s comments, noting that it’s premature to dismiss Pakistan. He emphasized that the two sides could meet a third time in the Asia Cup 2025 final, keeping the competitive spirit of the contest alive.

He said, “ Let him say what he wants. Neither has he reached the final yet, nor have we. We will see when the moment comes. It is our job to win. We have come to win the Asia Cup. We will do our best.”

Commenting on his role with the bat, Shaheen Afridi emphasized that his focus is always on giving his best. He highlighted the importance of contributing effectively down the order whenever the team needs him, prioritizing performance over personal milestones.

He further said, “ Like the last two matches, the way you said about batting, my job is that whenever I get a position, I bowl. Batting, fielding, bowling, whatever I get, I give my 100%. Because it is obvious. Whenever I play, I try to give my 100%. Whether I am sick or injured, whatever I am, but it doesn't show outside. So my job is to raise the morale of the team and play all the cricket with energy.”

Pakistan secured a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Tuesday, boosting their chances of reaching the Asia Cup final. The team will next face Bangladesh on Thursday in a crucial match that could effectively decide their place in the tournament’s title clash.