The Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan witnessed a controversial moment when India's captain, Suryakumar Yadav, appealed for field obstruction against Pakistan's captain, Salman Ali Agha. The incident occurred during the 13th over of Pakistan's innings, which was bowled by Axar Patel.

Agha drove a fuller delivery from Patel towards extra cover, and Suryakumar Yadav dived to stop the ball. While attempting a quick throw towards the striker's end, the ball struck Agha as he was completing his second run. Suryakumar immediately appealed, suggesting Agha had intentionally obstructed the throw. He was heard saying to the umpires, "You check it".

The appeal led to a brief pause in the game while the third umpire, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, reviewed the footage. After several replays, the third umpire ruled that there was no deliberate obstruction from Agha, and the runs were allowed to stand. Replays showed that Agha did not intentionally change his running direction to impede the throw.

The decision sparked mixed reactions. Suryakumar Yadav appeared visibly unimpressed with the decision, and some Indian players were seen shaking their heads. A section of the crowd booed Suryakumar for the appeal.

Former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram criticized Suryakumar's appeal, questioning the spirit of sportsmanship. Akram stated that the appeal "made no sense". Commentator Sanjay Manjrekar also agreed that the appeal was unnecessary, as Agha was not intentionally in the path of the throw.

According to MCC's Law 37, a batter can be given out for obstructing the field if they "willfully obstruct or distract the fielding by word or action" while the ball is in play. The law also clarifies that a batter is not out if the obstruction is accidental or done to avoid injury. The third umpire's decision aligned with the MCC law, as Agha's obstruction was deemed unintentional.

This incident is not the first time that the "spirit of the game" has been debated during an India-Pakistan encounter in the Asia Cup 2025. Earlier, the Pakistani side raised concerns when the Indian team did not engage in customary post-match handshakes after group stage and Super 4 clashes.