Legendary Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar unleashed a scathing critique of captain Salman Ali Agha after his ill-fated choice to bat first against India in the Asia Cup 2025 opener on Sunday, dubbing him "Hamara Einstein" for the glaring tactical error. The match at Dubai International Stadium turned into a nightmare for Pakistan, who limped to 127/9 in 20 overs before India romped home in just 15.5 overs with seven wickets intact, exposing the folly of Salman's toss call on a spinner-friendly pitch.

Pakistan's innings crumbled under the onslaught of Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav (3/21) and Axar Patel (2/18), with only opener Sahibzada Farhan offering resistance via a gritty 40. The Dubai surface, known for assisting twirlers throughout the tournament, made batting first a risky proposition, especially with dew expected to aid chasing later. Akhtar, never one to mince words, lambasted the decision in a viral video rant: "Suryakumar Yadav ne poori pitch report di hai toss par. Usne kaha, 'Baad mein dew aayega. Ball bat par accha aata hai tab, humari batting lambi hai. Hum chase hi karna chahte the.' Par humare Einstein ne kaha humay pehle batting karni hai." (Translation: "Suryakumar gave the full pitch report at the toss. He said, 'Dew will come later; the ball comes nicely onto the bat then, and our lineup is deep. We wanted to chase anyway.' But our Einstein said we should bat first.")

India's chase was equally clinical, led by skipper Suryakumar Yadav's unbeaten 47, including a towering six to seal victory. Interestingly, Pakistan's young spinner Saim Ayub claimed all three Indian wickets to fall (3/25), but it was too little too late. The post-match scene added fuel to the fire: Indian players, including Yadav and Shivam Dube, walked off without the traditional handshake, a snub rooted in the lingering tensions from the April Pahalgam terror attack and May's cross-border skirmishes. Social media had buzzed with boycott calls pre-match, but India played—and dominated.

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Akhtar, while fuming over the toss, also expressed dismay at the no-handshake gesture, urging both sides to keep cricket apolitical. "I'm speechless. It is disheartening... Don't make a cricket match political. Hum ne acchi statement di hai aapkee liye. Hoti rehte hain ladayi jhagre... Shake your hands, show your grace." (Translation: "We have said nice things about you. Fights happen... It's the game of cricket.") He praised India's performance but called for sportsmanship to prevail over geopolitics.

The defeat piles pressure on Pakistan ahead of their Asia Cup campaign, with Akhtar's barbs highlighting internal frustrations. As the tournament unfolds, the India-Pakistan rivalry remains as intense as ever, blending on-field drama with off-field sensitivities.

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