A video from the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four went viral after Pakistani commentators made a contentious statement while Pakistan lost against India. One of them, speaking casually, said, “kuch ladke firing hi karden,” which meant that upset fans could possibly open celebratory or retaliatory fire. The comment sparked a lot of criticism on the internet, where most people condemned the romanticization of violence in the sporting arena. The comment was condemned by fans who not only called it unprofessional, but even potentially dangerous, and debate reemerged as to whether sports commentators are responsible broadcasting.
At the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match against India on Sunday at Dubai International Stadium during the innings break, a Pakistani panelist uttered highly provocative comments. On ARY News with host Waseem Badami, the panelist went as far as recommending extreme actions, as he said, “Ladke jaan maare toh kya hum match jeet sakte hain?” (Do you think Pakistan will win if the players sacrifice themselves?)
He continued to say: “Mere khyaal mein ya toh yeh kar de ya kuch ladke firing hee kar de na idhar. Match hee khatam karo, kyunki confirm hai hum haarenge.” (Or they might open fire in the stadium to conclude the match, since a defeat is inevitable.)
The India vs. Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Super Four has not been left out of various controversies on the field and off the field.. Haris Rauf was also accused of a military reference when he raised a finger to Indian fans in a gesture of 6-0, and Pakistani opener Sahibzada Farhan sparked the controversy when he celebrated his half-century by firing a gun into the air.
Adding to the drama, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav chose not to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart at the toss and once again after the match, emphasizing the diplomatic tension between the two nations over the fixture. Unpopular umpiring calls, particularly those against Fakhar Zaman, only added fuel to the fire.
On September 21 at the Dubai International Stadium, India defeated Pakistan in the Super Four round of the 2025 Asia Cup T20 by a six-wicket margin. India scored 174/4 off 18.5 overs chasing 172, with support from Abhishek Sharma‘s scintillating 74 off 39 deliveries and Shubman Gill’s 47 off 28 deliveries. Tilak Varma‘s unflustered 30* off 19 deliveries sealed the win.
For Pakistan, Sahibzada Farhan was the top scorer with 58 as they made 171/5 in their 20 overs. Their run chase in the middle overs, even after Faheem Ashraf and Salman Ali Agha came in to a late charge. Shivam Dube was the key man with two important wickets, literally bringing Pakistan’s run to a standstill.
