India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha joined six other leaders at the Asia Cup 2025 pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday.
Asked about India being “favourites by a distance,” Suryakumar stunned reporters with a cheeky response: “Kisne bola? Mene toh nahi suna” (“Who said? I haven’t heard that”). He added that India’s preparation and bonding in the lead-up had boosted confidence.
Salman countered the “favourites” tag by stressing the unpredictability of T20s. “In this format, no team is favourite. A couple of overs can change the game,” he said.
Pakistan enter the tournament after winning a tri-series against Afghanistan and UAE. Salman said the victory was only a step towards their bigger goal — lifting the Asia Cup.