Arun Dhumal, the current Chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has lauded India’s performance in the high-octane Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, emphasising that the Men in Blue have firmly established themselves as the world’s premier T20I side. Speaking to IANS, Dhumal highlighted that while reaching the top in cricket is comparatively easy, sustaining excellence at the highest level requires consistency, mental fortitude, and team synergy—all of which India demonstrated throughout the tournament.

“Reaching the top is very easy, but maintaining that position is a challenging task. India was the No. 1 team in T20S, and the way they performed brilliantly throughout the tournament, winning all their matches convincingly, I want to congratulate the Indian team for that,” Arun Dhumal said. He extended special praise to Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates, noting that their disciplined, world-class cricket during the tournament reaffirmed India’s T20 supremacy.

Arun Dhumal also addressed the long-standing question of a potential bilateral series between India and Pakistan. While acknowledging the excitement such matches generate among fans, he reiterated that cricket diplomacy must align with national policy.

ALSO READ: Rob Key Issues Stern Warning To England Ahead Of Ashes 2025 Tour to Australia

“It is the decision of the Government of India that we will not play a bilateral series with Pakistan, and we fully support this decision. In this matter, the BCCI will align with the Government’s stance. For the BCCI, the country comes first, and cricket comes next,” he stated.

Commenting on the narrative surrounding India-Pakistan contests, Arun Dhumal felt the hype is often overstated. He pointed out that Pakistan no longer boasts the iconic players of yesteryear like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar, whose presence once made these matches historic.

“Many things happened that, in my opinion, should not have occurred on the sporting field, but they did. Now, we should not dwell on what has already happened. Once again, we congratulate the Indian team for their outstanding performance,” Arun Dhumal said. He emphasized that matches against other cricketing powerhouses such as England, Australia, and New Zealand are far more competitive and test India’s skills comprehensively.

ALSO READ: Mohsin Naqvi Apologises Over Asia Cup Trophy Controversy but Demands In-Person Collection

Dhumal concluded by praising India’s unmatched talent pool, asserting that the current squad can compete with and beat any team globally. “Even against teams that play exceptionally well, our performance has been commendable. With the strength we have today, the world does not have such talent anywhere else. This should make us proud, and we should also appreciate and congratulate the players who delivered such outstanding performances,” he remarked.

India’s triumph in the Asia Cup, coupled with consistent performances in the T20I circuit, underscores the depth, skill, and resilience of the Men in Blue, making them the benchmark for modern T20 cricket.