Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the Asia Cupo 2025 final against Pakistan. Hardik will be replaced by Rinku SIngh in the playing XI for the high profile clash. Team India skipper Suryakumar at toss confirmed that Hardik was ruled out of the final due to niggle.
However, Hardik Pandya's childhood coach, Ajay Pawar, while speaking to PTI said, "We have received information that he has been dehydrated due to the weather. However, I believe he will recover and play, because playing in the final is very important for a player like him. My intuition says he will perform even better than on other days."
Hardik bowled only one over for India in the second innings before being sidelined for the majority of the 202-run defence against Sri Lanka. India's bowling coach Morne Morkel back then had stated that Hardik would undergo assessment before a call being taken. Morkel described the reason behind Hardik not bowling futher in thematch due to 'cramps'. He had said, "Hardik, I know we'll assess sort of tonight and tomorrow morning, and we'll make a call on that. Abhishek is fine. Both of them were just struggling with cramps."
Team India make two changes in Playing XI against Pakistan
While Rinku SIngh replaces Hardik Pandya in the final. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh also missed out on getting the nod for the final. Pakistan remain unchanged for the all important match. India made it to the finals on the back of six straight wins and remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament, while Pakistan have lost to India two times in the tournament in the continental event.
Pakistan's Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
India's Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy
