India v Pakistan: Will there be trophy presentation drama in U19 Asia Cup final?

Indian and Pakistani U19 cricket teams will face off in the final of the 50-over Asia Cup on Saturday in Al Amarat, Oman. The two South Asian rivals have a history of fierce competition in age group cricket, and this final promises to be no different. India and Pakistan possess the strongest U19 squads in the region, which is why they both made it to the final.

Pakistan enters the final as the favorites, having remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. They also defeated India in a closely contested group stage match by three wickets. Pakistan will look to continue their winning ways against India, who will be hoping to avenge their loss from last year's final in Dubai. Pakistan's captain, Farhan Yousaf, and wicketkeeper Hamza Zahoor, who smashed an unbeaten century against India in the group stage, will be crucial to their campaign.

The Indian team, on the other hand, boasts some big names such as Virender Sehwag and the sons of former Indian cricketers Rahul Dravid. While age group cricket generally doesn't attract much attention, the historical tension between India and Pakistan could lead to some drama. In recent years, Indian players have refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, and in 2021, India's senior men's and women's teams even refused to accept their Asia Cup trophies from Pakistan's cricket chief, Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

If India win the final, it remains to be seen if they will continue the 'boycott' and refuse to collect the trophy from Naqvi. The U19 Asia Cup final will be broadcast live on the Starzplay app in the UAE, starting at 9am UAE time.