How will India miss Hardik Pandya Asia Cup 2025 Final against Pakistan

Pandya suffered a muscle cramp during India's Super 4 game against Sri Lanka, which led to him missing the all-important final vs Pakistan

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India suffered a huge blow ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan in Dubai as their premium all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been left out of India’s playing 11 today after suffering a muscle injury during India’s last Asia Cup Super 4 match against Sri Lanka on September 26.

 

India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel, after the Sri Lanka match, said that Pandya’s injury was not very serious at first look and that they would assess his situation ahead of the final game against Pakistan. However, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, during the toss for the final match, confirmed that Hardik Pandya will indeed be missing the title clash, with Rinku Singh named as his replacement. 

How Pandya’s Absence Will Affect India?

Losing Pandya for the high-stakes match against Pakistan will disrupt India’s playing XI combination, as Pandya was sharing the new ball with Bumrah in the powerplay for India and was taking early wickets to help his team gain an early lead in the match. His bowling in death overs with slower bouncers also helped India concede fewer runs during the final phase of the opposition innings — something India will dearly miss today.

 

On top of his bowling, Pandya can also play big shots at will down the order and has played the role of a hard-hitting finisher for the Men in Blue in recent times. In his absence, India will now have to rely on two players to play the same role Pandya played alone, making them shift from their regular approach in any match.

How Pandya Got Injured?

In Friday’s Super 4 clash against Sri Lanka, India piled up a daunting 203-run target before handing the new ball to Hardik Pandya in the second innings. The all-rounder made an ideal start, conceding just seven runs in his opening over while dismissing Kusal Mendis for a duck. But the joy was short-lived, as Pandya appeared to clutch his leg in pain soon after the over and left the field. He did not take any further part in the contest.