'We will be crowned champions', says Rajiv Shukla ahead of India-Pakistan Asia Cup final

Rajiv Shukla, vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), expressed confidence in the Indian team here on Sunday, saying that they’ll emerge victorious in the upcoming Asia Cup final against Pakistan.

Notably, India and Pakistan will square off in the final of an Asia Cup for the first time in 41 years. While the Men in Blue finished on top of the Asia Cup Super 4s points table, the Men in Green followed them in second spot as the two sides qualified for the summit clash.

Shukla spoke to reporters after the conclusion of BCCI’s Annual General Meeting at the board’s headquarters and stated that he was confident of India lifting the cup.

"We will win… we’ll be crowned champions,” he said.

India and Pakistan are set to face each other in the Asia Cup final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Men in Blue lead the Men in Green 2-0 in the tournament this year, having won both encounters played earlier this month.

It will be a high-intense encounter in Dubai, given how the previous two games of the tournament between the arch-rivals panned out. While the first game saw the Indian team refusing to shake hands with their opposition players due to the political unrest between both countries, the second game saw players of the Pakistani side making unwanted gestures that sparked controversy.

As a result, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had to intervene and take strict action against players of both sides, which included Harris Rauf being handed a 30 per cent fine for breaching the code of conduct.

It’ll be interesting to see how the players of the two teams take on the upcoming game. Defending champions India are the most successful team in Asia Cup cricket history, having won the title eight times. Sri Lanka have won the Asia Cup six times, while Pakistan have emerged triumphant twice.

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