Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha conceded that his side’s batting collapse proved decisive in their defeat to India in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 final, despite what he described as an “outstanding” bowling performance.

Put into bat first, the opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan a flamboyant start by putting together 84 runs ahead of the halfway mark.

Top-ranked T20I batter Varun Chakaravarthy gave India their first breakthrough in the 10th over by dismissing Farhan, who remained the top-scorer with 57 off 38 deliveries, smashing five fours and three sixes.

Despite Farhan’s dismissal, Pakistan were in a decent position as they had reached 113/1 in 12.4 overs before Kuldeep Yadav sent left-handed batter Saim Ayub (14) back.

His dismissal sparked a match-defining collapse, which saw Pakistan lose their remaining eight wickets for just 33 runs in 38 balls and were ultimately bowled out for a meagre 146 in 19.1 overs.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Pakistan captain Agha rued their inability to score enough runs before hinting at an overhaul in the department.

“It is a tough pill to swallow right now. We lost wickets while batting, we were outstanding with the ball but didn’t have enough runs on the board,” Agha said.

“We didn’t rotate strike and lost too many wickets. We have to sort out our batting very soon,” he added.

Despite defending a modest total, Pakistan’s bowling unit made India do hard yards to chase down the total as they conceded 19.4 overs and lost five wickets in the process.

Pakistan were especially lethal at the start of the second innings, with Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Shah Afridi collectively reducing the Men in Blue to 20/3 in four overs by dismissing in-form Abhishek Sharma (five), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (one) and Shubman Gill (12) cheaply.

Although a gutsy knock by middle-order batter Tilak Varma eventually led India to the title victory, Agha applauded his side’s bowling attack for displaying grit.

“They bowled outstandingly well, they (India) needed 63 from 6 overs and I thought we had the game. But the batting was what cost us the game,” Agha continued.

The Pakistan captain concluded by expressing pride in his team before vowing to work hard and make a strong comeback.

“I am very proud of the team, and there is so much to look forward to, we will work hard and come back stronger.”

Starz’s forthcoming epic Spartacus: House of Ashur has finally got its premiere date, which is Dec 5.

Nick E Tarabay is set to reprise his character Ashur, which he first did in the original series, Spartacus. 

In addition to him, Graham McTavish will appear as Korris, Jordi Webber as Tarchon, and Tenika Davis will play female gladiator Achillia, marking the first time a non-male character portrays the fighter in Ancient Rome in the franchise.

Along with them, Jamaica Vaughan as Hilara, Ivana Baquero as Messia, Claudia Black as Cossutia, India Shaw-Smith as Viridia, Jackson Gallagher as Caesar, Jaime Slater as Cornelia, and Leigh Gill as Satyrus.

The logline for the series read, “Spartacus: House of Ashur is a thrilling, erotic, history-bending, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit.”

“What if Ashur had lived, and the Romans rewarded his treachery with the gladiator school where he once bled? Welcome to the House of Ashur. No longer a slave, Ashur has clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him.”

“But ruling a band of merciless gladiators is child’s play compared to surviving the savage world of Roman politics — a cutthroat game in which betrayal isn’t a sin, it’s currency.”

“He flips tradition on its head by unleashing Achillia, a fierce and powerful gladiatrix eager to prove herself worthy in a man’s world. Together, they ignite a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disrupts and offends the elite with every drop of blood,” the snyopsis said.

Be on the lookout for these new entertainment offerings in the coming months, from screens to the stage, from music to the page.

Movies

“One Battle After Another” (Now in theaters)
The latest from director Paul Thomas Anderson (“There Will Be Blood”) is a comic romp inspired by the Thomas Pynchon novel “Vineland,” in which Leonardo DiCaprio plays a washed-up radical freedom fighter trying to be a good dad. But those old revolutionary tendencies tend to not go away. With Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Regina Hall, and Benicio Del Toro. And for fans of celluloid, it’s the first film to be shot and projected in VistaVision in more than six decades.

To watch a trailer click on the video player below:

“The Smashing Machine” (In theaters Oct. 3)
This sports biopic stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the real-life mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, who also fought depression and drug addiction, and whose struggle to come clean threatened to upend his marriage. With Emily Blunt.

“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” (In theaters Oct. 24)
Scott Cooper’s biodrama, adapted from Warren Zanes’ biography of Bruce Springsteen, stars Jeremy Allen White as the singer-songwriter during the period when he created his transformative album “Nebraska.”

“Sentimental Value” (In theaters Nov. 7)
Renate Reinsve (the breakout star of “The Worst Person in the World”) plays an actress estranged from her father, a noted director (Stellan Skarsgård), who comes to her with an offer: a role in his latest script written especially for her. Directed by Joachim Trier, the film won the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Co-starring Elle Fanning.

“Hamnet” (In theaters Nov. 27)
This adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s bestseller stars Jessie Buckley (“I’m Thinking of Ending Things”) and Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”) as William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, and traces the effects on their marriage, and his work, from the devastating loss of their son. Directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”), this was the People’s Choice Award-winner at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Music

Jacob Collier, “The Light for Days” (Oct. 10)
The English multi-instrumentalist who has won seven Grammy Awards will release his first album post-“Djesse,” and features the track “I Know (A Little).”

Sudan Archives, “The BPM” (Oct. 17)
The new album from the singer and violinist Brittney Parks (who records under the name Sudan Archives) features the track “Dead.”

Demi Lovato, “It’s Not That Deep” (Oct. 24)
The singer’s ninth studio album has already spawned two singles, “Fast” and “Here All Night.”

Brandi Carlile, “Returning to Myself” (Oct. 24)
Following her recent collaboration with Elton John, “Who Believes in Angels?,” Carlile returns with a solo album.

Florence + the Machine, “Everybody Scream” (Oct. 31)
You scream, we scream, we all scream for Florence Welch – and no one screams like her. Her sixth album is the latest since the group’s 2022 “Dance Fever.”

TV

“The Simpsons: Season 37” (Fox) (Sept. 28)
They’re ba-a-a-ack! And what would American pop culture be without Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie, and the other denizens of Springfield?

“Abbott Elementary: Season 5” (ABC) (Oct. 1)
School is back in session at Willard R. Abbott Elementary in Philadelphia.

“Boston Blue” (CBS) (Oct. 17)
Donnie Wahlberg reprises his “Blue Bloods” role as NYPD officer Danny Reagan in this spin-off series set in Beantown.

“Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order” (AMC) (Oct. 26)
The horror series, adapted from the novelist’s “Vampire Chronicles,” stars Nicholas Denton, William Fichtner, Elizabeth McGovern and Maisie Richardson-Sellers.

“The Paper” (NBC) (Nov. 10)
A mockumentary series produced as a follow-up to the American version of “The Office” goes inside the workings of a middling newspaper in Ohio, and the new editor-in-chief’s efforts to shake things up. With Domhnall Gleeson. 

Streaming

“Chad Powers” (Hulu) (Sept. 30)
Glen Powell stars as a former college football quarterback trying to do an end-run around a career-ending scandal by creating a new identity in this sports comedy.

“It: Welcome to Derry” (HBO) (Oct. 26)
Inspired by Stephen King’s “It,” this prequel to the feature films “It” and “It: Chapter Two” features Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Clown.

“Pluribus” (Apple TV+) (Nov. 7)
In this science fiction series from the creator of “Breaking Bad,” Rhea Seehorn plays the only person immune from a virus that turns everyone happy.

“Landman: Season 2” (Paramount+) (Nov. 16)
Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore star in this continuation of the Taylor Sheridan/Christian Wallace series set in West Texas’ booming oilfields.

“Stranger Things: Final Season” (Netflix) (Nov. 26)
The gates are opening up around Hawkins. The cast is back to try, one last time, to deal with the Upside Down. 

Theater

New York City:

“Oh Happy Day!” (Public Theater) (Oct. 2)
A reimagining of the story of Noah’s Ark, from the Tony-nominated writer-director duo Jordan E. Cooper and Stevie Walker-Webb (“Ain’t No Mo'”), with songs by Grammy-winning gospel artist Donald Lawrence.

“Chess” (Imperial Theatre) (Oct. 15)
This revival of the 1988 Benny Andersson-Björn Ulvaeus-Tim Rice musical, starring Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele, and Nicholas Christopher, features a new book by Emmy-winner Danny Strong.

“Ragtime” (Vivian Beaumont Theater) (Oct. 16)
This new revival of the Tony-winning musical, based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel, stars Joshua Henry, Colin Donnell, Caissie Levy and Anna Grace Barlow.

Watch the cast of “Ragtime”:

“Liberation” (James Earl Jones Theatre) (Oct. 26)
Bess Wohl’s Off-Broadway play about unfinished business in the feminist universe moves to Broadway.

“Oedipus” (Studio 54) (Oct. 30)
The epic Sophocles tragedy is transformed into a contemporary election drama by Robert Icke. With Mark Strong and Olivier Award-winner Lesley Manville recreating their West End performances.

Around the country:

“Bull Durham” (Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, N.J.) (Oct. 2)
Batter up for this new musical version of the 1988 sports classic, directed by Marc Bruni (“The Great Gatsby”) and starring Nik Walker, Carmen Cusack and Will Savarese. With book by Ron Shelton, who wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay.

“Revolution(s)” (Goodman Theatre, Chicago) (Oct. 4)
An Afghan War veteran returns to Chicago to another kind of war, in this punk-hip hop-metal musical by Tom Morello and Zayd Ayers Dohrn.

“Purple Rain” (State Theatre, Minneapolis) (Oct. 16)
This stage adaptation of the Prince album and film “Purple Rain” features a book by Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (“Purpose”).

Watch Kris Kollins (The Kid) and Rachel Webb (Apollonia) perform “I Would Die 4 U”:

“Working Girl” (La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla, Calif.) (Oct. 28)
This musical adaptation of the 1988 comedy features an original score by Cyndi Lauper.

“As You Like It” (Writers Theatre, Glencoe, Ill.) (Oct. 30)
A musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy, with music and lyrics by Shaina Taub (“Suffs”). 

Books

Fiction:

“Heart the Lover” by Lily King (Sept. 30)
The author of “Writers & Lovers” returns with a novel about a young woman drawn into a complicated friendship with two male classmates in college. Years later, she must consider how those friendships, and her youthful decisions, still shape her life. [Read an excerpt.]

“Shadow Ticket” by Thomas Pynchon (Oct. 7)
The latest work by the post-modern satirist is a Depression-era mystery in which a private eye, trailing a missing heiress, is shanghaied into an international plot involving Nazis, spies, paranormal investigators, and swing musicians. 

“A Guardian and a Thief” by Megha Majumdar (Oct. 14)
A near-future novel set in a climate-ravaged India, from the author of the New York Times bestseller “A Burning.” 

“Cursed Daughters” by Oyinkan Braithwaite (Nov. 4)
A new comic novel from the author of the bestseller “My Sister, the Serial Killer,” in which a young woman tries to shake up an implacable family curse. 

“The Eleventh Hour: A Quintet of Stories” by Salman Rushdie (Nov. 4)
The acclaimed author, now in his late 70s and the survivor of a near-fatal attack, writes stories set on three continents about the closure of life, and meeting death head-on. 

Non-fiction:

“Truly” by Lionel Richie (Sept. 30)
The legendary singer, songwriter and record producer writes about his winding, sometimes painful journey from a shy kid to an award-winning entertainer celebrated around the world.   

“Joyride: A Memoir” by Susan Orlean (Oct. 14)
Travel through the storied career of the New Yorker writer and bestselling author of “The Orchid Thief.”

“Dead and Alive: Essays” by Zadie Smith (Oct. 28)
A collection of essays by the author of “White Teeth.” 

“The Look” by Michelle Obama (Nov. 4)
The former first lady writes about her evolution of style throughout her life, illustrated with more than 200 photographs.    

“Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts” by Margaret Atwood (Nov. 4)
The author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Cat’s Eye” presents her long-awaited autobiography. 

      
Produced by Robert Marston and David Morgan. Editor: Carol Ross. 

     
See also: