Questions are being raised about the international career of star Indian fast bowler Mohammad Shami. Shami’s name is not included in the Indian team selected for the Australia tour. This marks the second major instance where the experienced bowler has been overlooked. Previously, he was also omitted from the Test team for the England tour. Shami has not played a Test match for India in the last 2 years, and his last T20 match was in February 2025. The Champions Trophy 2025 final was his last international appearance.

Shami has been sidelined from cricket due to injuries and fitness issues. He has been struggling with injuries since the 2023 World Cup. Despite a remarkable comeback after his injury, proving his fitness in domestic cricket, he was not included in the team. He was the highest wicket-taker for India in the Champions Trophy 2025 held in February-March this year. Subsequently, he participated in the IPL. However, he has been away from the field since then. The absence of a chance for Shami, who is 35 years old, is considered a major threat to his career.

Mohammad Shami’s fitness has been under scrutiny recently. However, Shami recently provided an update on his fitness, stating that he was ready to play. In an interview in August, he mentioned, ‘I was called to Bengaluru and I passed the fitness test (Bronco) and now I am ready to play.’ Despite this, he has failed to secure a place in the team. It appears that getting chances in the future will be challenging.

In the final match against Pakistan in Dubai, Tilak Varma scored a brilliant half-century, and he formed crucial partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube. These valuable contributions led India to defeat Pakistan. With this win, India secured its second T20 International Asia Cup title and its ninth title overall, including the one-day international format.

**Donation to the Indian Army**

After the victory against Pakistan, Captain Suryakumar Yadav stated his intention to donate his match fees from all the matches played in the tournament to the Indian Army. However, India did not accept the medals and trophy during the post-match award ceremony, leading to disappointment among spectators and players. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president from Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi, was scheduled to present the trophy to the Indian team, which the Indian players refused to accept. The entire Indian team celebrated on the field without the trophy.

**Dedication of the First Match**

The Indian team played its first match in the Asia Cup 2025 on September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium against Pakistan. The Indian team performed excellently and won the match. During the post-match presentation, Suryakumar Yadav, dedicated the victory to the Indian Army and the victims of the Pahalgam attack. Now, after the final, Surya has made an important decision regarding the Indian Army.

India won the toss at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and chose to bowl first, with Pakistan’s innings beginning with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman. In the third over, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, Farhan smashed a powerful six on the third ball. This shot not only made the match exciting but also earned Farhan the record for hitting the most sixes against Bumrah in T20 International cricket.

This was his third six against Bumrah in T20 International cricket, having hit two sixes against him in the Super-4 match. Sahibzada Farhan is the first batsman in the world to hit three sixes against Bumrah in T20 Internationals. Other batsmen like Elton Chigumbura of Zimbabwe, Lendl Simmons and Kieron Pollard of West Indies, Martin Guptill of New Zealand, and Cameron Green of Australia have each hit two sixes against Bumrah.

India has the chance to win the Asia Cup without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the first time since 1995. India’s performance in the Asia Cup has been consistently strong. The last time India won without the presence of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli was in 1995, before either player had made their international debut. Subsequently, India won the tournament in 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2023, with at least one of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli in the team.

In 2025, the Indian team will face a new challenge, with younger players taking on the responsibility of winning the title in the absence of veterans like Rohit and Virat. Success would be a repeat of the 30-year-old achievement. The final between India and Pakistan is already a major talking point, especially given the intense competition during the group stage and Super 4 matches, which promises an exciting match.

India and Pakistan have played a total of 15 T20 matches, with India winning 12 and Pakistan winning only 3. In the group stage and Super 4 stage of the current tournament, India won both matches, defeating Pakistan by 7 wickets in the group stage and 6 wickets in the Super 4 stage.