Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has attributed the decisive moments of the Asia Cup 2025 final loss to execution lapses in the death overs, specifically pointing towards Haris Rauf's inability to close out the contest against India.

The match, played in Dubai on September 28, saw Pakistan fall short while defending 146, with India completing the chase with two balls remaining.

He recently attended a podcast with ARY Digital, where he remarked that he chose Rauf over Abrar Ahmed because Rauf was the star pacer of the side. Agha said,

“I must have made a lot of mistakes. If our results are not good, I must have made mistakes. But I think if I had continued with Abrar Ahmed in the final of the Asia Cup, the result of the game could have been different.”

He added,

"But if you look at the other side, I gave Haris the over. Because he was our main bowler in that match, he couldn't have executed well. But if I had continued with Abrar, the result could have been different."

Notably, Rauf was the costliest man of the Asia Cup final. He couldn't even complete his four overs and conceded 50 runs without a wicket. 50 runs came from him, where 29 runs were the highest conceded by a bowler from Pakistan.

Controversies and Aftermath

Haris Rauf found himself at the centre of controversy during the 2025 Asia Cup, with multiple disciplinary breaches leading to a two-match suspension. The pacer was penalised for provocative gestures aimed at Indian fans during high-voltage clashes, including a “6-0” sign and a mock airplane crash celebration.

The International Cricket Council deemed both acts violations of Article 2.21, handing him fines and demerit points that eventually triggered an automatic ban.