Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan keen to face India in Asia Cup final

Dubai: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan expressed his team’s desire to face India again — this time in the Asia Cup final. Despite a six-wicket loss to India in the Super Four stage, Farhan remains optimistic about Pakistan’s chances in their crucial upcoming clash against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

“Our preparation has been excellent,” Farhan said. “All the boys are hoping for a rematch with India in the final. The way we played against them, especially our batting, has given us confidence. We’re focused on beating Sri Lanka — it’s a do-or-die game.”

Farhan scored a brisk half-century against India on Sunday, but once he was dismissed, Pakistan’s momentum dipped, and they posted 172 — a target India chased down comfortably.

“It wasn’t a one-sided game. We fought till the end, and it was a competitive match,” he reflected. “We had a strong start in the powerplay, no early wickets, good scoring, but later the run rate dropped. We’re working on fixing that.”

He admitted that powerplay performance has been a weak spot in recent matches. “We weren’t using the powerplay well and kept losing early wickets. It’s crucial to handle pressure early, build a foundation, and not give away wickets,” he said.

Farhan also defended his celebratory gesture after reaching his fifty, which drew attention. “I usually don’t celebrate fifties, but a new idea came to mind, and I just expressed it differently. It was just a new style,” he explained.

Known for his aggressive approach, Farhan emphasised that intent shouldn’t change based on the opponent. “You should always play aggressive cricket, not just against India, but against every team — like we did today.”

He concluded by acknowledging that his personal performance would have meant more had Pakistan secured a win. “Had we won, the innings would’ve been more valuable. Of course, performing against India is always rated highly, but winning would’ve made it even more special,” he said.