In a major sporting event captivating the nation, India is poised to clash with Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 today, September 28, in Dubai. This marks the third time the two cricketing giants will face each other in this edition of the tournament and, historically, their first-ever meeting in an Asia Cup final. India secured their spot in the final with an unbeaten run, including a thrilling Super Over victory against Sri Lanka in the Super Four stage on September 27. The final is expected to be a high-voltage encounter, with both teams having traded barbs and shown intense rivalry leading up to the summit clash.
Abhishek Sharma has been a standout performer for India, leading the run-scoring charts in the Asia Cup 2025 with 309 runs and is just 11 runs shy of breaking Virat Kohli's record for most runs by an Indian in a multi-nation T20I tournament. Concerns remain over the fitness of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who suffered cramps in the previous match against Sri Lanka, potentially impacting India's playing XI.
In a significant development for Indian cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new mandate requiring Under-19 and Under-16 players to participate in at least one First-Class match to be eligible for the Indian Premier League (IPL) from the 2026 season. This policy, finalized during the BCCI's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 28, aims to strengthen the domestic cricket structure and ensure young talents develop skills and resilience in the longer format before entering franchise T20 cricket. In other BCCI news, former Chennai Super Kings batter Mithun Manhas has been named the new BCCI President.
On the international para-athletics stage, India's Shailesh Kumar clinched a gold medal and established a new championship record in the men's high jump T63 class at the World Para Athletics Championships on September 27. Kumar's jump of 1.91m saw him upset USA's Ezra Frech, who topped the podium at the Paris Paralympics. This achievement marks a significant redemption for the 25-year-old from Bihar, who had a heartbreaking fourth-place finish at the Paris Paralympics last year.
Other notable sports news includes the announcement of the Archery Premier League (APL) season 1 schedule, which is set to run from October 2 to 12 in New Delhi.