Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has hailed Arshdeep Singh as a must-pick for the Asia Cup 2025 final after the left-arm pacer’s sensational display against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Arshdeep’s calm yet impactful bowling in the Super Over, where he conceded just two runs and claimed two crucial wickets, propelled India into the summit clash against arch-rivals Pakistan.

During the regulation 20 overs, Arshdeep Singh had earlier removed Kamindu Mendis and finished with figures of 4-0-46-1, holding his nerve in the penultimate over of Sri Lanka’s chase. Pathan, who has featured in 24 T20Is for India, emphasised that the youngster’s ability to bowl precise yorkers under pressure is on par with Jasprit Bumrah.

“Look, first of all, he’s as cool as ice. Under pressure, he asks for the ball, bowls when it matters, and in the last over, he nails those yorkers. He’s ready. Shoulder to shoulder with Bumrah, he delivers those yorkers. I think he’s a bowler of that quality,” Irfan Pathan told broadcasters.

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Pathan acknowledged that team management sometimes prefers extra batting depth, often including Shivam Dube as an all-rounder, which can come at the expense of Arshdeep’s place in the playing XI. However, he insisted that in high-pressure situations, having Arshdeep’s ability to bowl yorkers from both ends is invaluable.

“I’ve been saying this from day one — it’s not just about today. He should always be in the playing XI because there are situations when you need yorkers from both ends. You saw it yourself today — the match went right down to the wire. But if you want extra batting, Dube plays, and Arshdeep misses out. In my team, Arshdeep will always be there,” Irfan Pathan added.

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Earlier, Arshdeep Singh etched his name in history by becoming the fastest Indian male pacer to 100 T20I wickets, achieving the milestone in just 64 matches, showcasing his consistency and match-winning potential for India in the shortest format.