When it comes to the India-Pakistan match in cricket, even the smallest thing turns into a headline. Ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup final between the two countries, recently a lighthearted incident involving Bollywood actor, Abhishek Bachchan and former Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar sparked laughter across fans, which added a fun twist to the otherwise high-pressure match.
Shoaib Akhtar mixes-up Abhishek Sharma with actor, Abhishek Baachchan
Ahead of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup final, during a recent live broadcast of the cricket show, Game On Hai, former Pakistani player, Shoaib Akhtar was analysing Pakistan’s chances against India in the match. While talking about the same, the player mistakenly mentioned actor, Abhishek Bachchan instead of young opener, Abhishek Sharma. He was quoted as saying:
“If Pakistan get Abhishek Bachchan out early on in a hypothetical situation, then what is going to happen with the middle-order? Their middle-order hasn’t performed well.”
Abhishek Bachchan’s reaction on Shoaib Akhtar’s statement
As soon as Shoaib Akhtar’s statement went viral, Bollywood actor and Guru fame, Abhishek Bachchan took to his X (formerly Twitter) to react to the same. His witty reply struck the right chord with fans, who flooded the comments section with memes, jokes, and creative edits of showing the actor in cricket gear. Abhishek Bachchan’s reply can be read as:
“Sir, with all due respect… don’t think they’ll even manage that! And I’m not even good at playing cricket.”
India-Pakistan clash at 2025 Asia Cup
Before India and Pakistan face each other in the final, the two have had interesting matches in this tournament. While India won all their group and Super Four matches, with strong batting performances, especially from Abhishek Sharma, Pakistan had a tougher time as they barely beat Bangladesh.
Apart from a powerful performance, the Asia Cup also saw controversies around Indian and Pakistani players not shaking hands after match. Both the countries will next face each other in the final, which will be held on September 28, 2025, in Dubai. India will depend on Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav, while Pakistan will count on Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.
More about Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan is a well-known Bollywood actor, who was born on February 5, 1976, in Mumbai. He is the son of legendary actor, Amitabh Bachchan and actress-turned-politician, Jaya Bachchan. Abhishek made his Bollywood debut in 2000, with the film, Refugee, alongside Kareena Kapoor.
Over the years, he has delivered memorable performances in films like Dhoom series, Guru, Bunty Aur Babli, Sarkar, Raavan and more. In his personal life, the actor is married to popular actress, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and the couple has a daughter, Aaradhya. Recently, the couple made headlines because of their separation rumours, but nothing has been confirmed regarding the same.
More about Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar is a former Pakistani cricketer and one of the fastest bowlers in cricket history. He made his international debut in 1997, and over the years, he has played in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20Is, taking over 400 international wickets combined. Apart from cricket, he is also known for his candid personality, outspoken views and more. He retired from cricket in 2011.
What are your thoughts on Shoaib Akhtar mixing up Abhishek Sharma with Bollywood actor? Let us know.
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