Thursday 16 Oct, 2025
Metro53 - The controversy surrounding Pakistan cricket team captain Agha Salman Ali allegedly throwing away the runner-up cheque after the Asia Cup 2025 final has finally been clarified, exposing Indian social media propaganda as baseless.
In the final played yesterday in Dubai, Pakistan suffered a five-wicket defeat to India. Chasing a target of 147, India secured victory in the last over, with Tilak Varma playing a match-winning unbeaten knock of 69 runs. This marked Pakistan’s third consecutive loss to India in the tournament, leaving captain Salman visibly disappointed.
Following the match, during the post-final presentation ceremony, a video clip went viral on social media showing Salman receiving the runner-up cheque and seemingly tossing it aside. Indian media outlets, particularly NDTV, quickly seized on the footage, claiming the Pakistani skipper had insulted an Indian dignitary during the ceremony.
However, the truth is quite different. The official who handed over the cheque was not an Indian, but Bangladesh Cricket Board president, Aminul Islam. Sources revealed that moments after Salman received the cheque, the stage presenter asked him to step forward quickly, leading him to place the cheque hastily on the stage. The gesture was unintentional and should not be construed as deliberate disrespect.
Speaking to the media after the match, Agha Salman expressed his disappointment over the defeat, praising the team’s bowling effort but admitting that poor batting cost them the game. “We failed to rotate the strike and lost wickets at crucial moments, which were the main reasons behind the loss,” he said.
