Asia Cup Final: Injury scare for India; Abhishek Sharma fine, suspense on Hardik Pandya's participation

Asia Cup Final: Injury scare for India; Abhishek Sharma fine, suspense on Hardik Pandya's participation

Team India have encountered a bit of a worrying situation right before the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, which is scheduled to be played at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The worrying news is fresh injury concern in the Indian camp and it involves man-in-form Abhishek Sharma and team's premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

It all happened during the inconsequential Super Four encounter between India and Sri Lanka, which was decided in Super Over. Although the Men In Blue won the match to maintain their perfect record in the tournament, a worrying sight for the team was Pandya being unable to bowl beyond the first over as he left the field and never returned. Abhishek Sharma also went off the field during Sri Lanka's innings in the 10th over.

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Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel confirmed that all-rounder Hardik Pandya and batsman Abhishek Sharma were off the field due to cramps. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Morkel said: "Both of them struggled with cramps. Hardik, we will assess tonight and tomorrow (Saturday) morning and make a call. But both of them struggled with cramps. Abhishek is fine."

Pandya failed to do much with the bat and was out after an excellent caught-and-bowled by Dushmantha Chameera for 2(3). With the ball, he opened India's attack and dismissed Kusal Mendis in the fourth ball of the innings.

Abhishek, on the other hand, continued his blazing form and blasted yet another half-century before falling to Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka for a 31-ball 61, featuring eight 4s and two 6s.

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Both players are key to India's ambitions of beating Pakistan for the third time in Asia Cup 2025. India have defeated Pakistan twice early in the tournament, which has more or less been one-sided affairs. India will now hope for a repeat as the arch-rivals clash for the first time in 41 years in an Asia Cup final.