This edition of the Asia Cup has been unprecedented for several reasons.
Players from India and Pakistan, and their captains, refused handshakes, a match referee (Andy Pycroft) was caught in the crossfire between two archrivals, and on-field political messaging deflected the focus from cricket.
In keeping with these exceptional times, it is fitting that India and Pakistan will fight it out in the final of the continental showdown in Dubai on Sunday for the first time in the competition’s 41-year history.
India has been unbeaten in the tournament, while Pakistan has lost twice, both times to the Indians. But the two sides have admitted to being far from perfect.
The Men in Blue – having already qualified for the final — scrambled over the line in the Super Over against Sri Lanka on Friday, despite posting the tournament’s highest total — 202.
Meanwhile, Pakistan overcame match-threatening batting collapses against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to book its berth in the summit clash.
Abhishek Sharma’s scorching form, which includes three consecutive fifties, has often appeared to be the difference between India and the opposition. A natural striker of the ball, Abhishek has been a cut above the rest, including his opening partner, Shubman Gill.
The left-hander has seemingly taken tough batting conditions here out of the equation, striking at 204.63 at an average of 51.50. However, India will hope the law of averages doesn’t catch up with him in the final.
Middle-order takes centre-stage
The struggles of India’s middle-order are partly owed to the constant shuffling of the order, with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube promoted to No. 3 for one game each, before the former was relegated to the No. 8 spot for the clash against Bangladesh.
But better sense prevailed against Sri Lanka, with India opting not to tinker with the batting order too much: Tilak Varma and Samson came in at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, and put on a promising 66-run alliance in 42 balls, comfortably navigating the spinners.
However, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav can’t seem to buy a run at the moment. He has eked out 71 runs in five innings, which includes an unbeaten 47. His scores since he pushed himself down to No. 11 in the inconsequential game against Oman read 0, 5 and 12.
With a T20 World Cup campaign at home on the horizon and promising talent knocking at the door of selection, India’s No. 3 will need some runs under his belt to keep his place, both as captain and player. What better stage than a final against Pakistan to fill one’s boots?
Pakistan’s batting woes run deeper. Its line-up from No. 3 to 6 averages 18.85 cumulatively in this tournament, with Saim Ayub and skipper Salman Agha particularly in deplorable form. Ayub has failed to open his account in four of the six games, while Agha averages 12.80 in the tournament.
All-rounders Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz stepped up to chase down a 134-run target against Sri Lanka after Pakistan was precariously placed at 80 for five.
Against Bangladesh, Nawaz and wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris did the heavy lifting to drag Pakistan from 49 for five to a match-winning 135.
Shaheen Afridi has been an ever-present saving grace in the lower order, striking at an astonishing 188.63 for his 83 runs. Against Bangladesh, Afridi was promoted to No. 7, ahead of Nawaz, and struck a valuable 13-ball 19.
Batting has significantly become tougher after the first 10 overs, and how Pakistan copes during this phase against India’s world-class spin trio will be crucial.
In the last Super Fours game between these sides, Pakistan had raced to 91 for one in the first half before Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel, with the help of Dube’s gentle medium pace, stemmed the flow of runs to only 80 runs in the last 10 overs.
Battle within a battle
The face-off between Abhishek and Gill, and Afridi and Haris Rauf will be a tantalising sub-plot.
The quartet exchanged words in the last fixture between India and Pakistan, and the Indian opening duo had the last word. Afridi and Rauf will seek redemption on Sunday.
The pace duo was on a mission against Bangladesh, breathing fire as they picked up three wickets each to dismantle the opposition. They dented the Tigers by striking three blows within the PowerPlay, and will pose a similar new-ball threat to India.
Sahibzada Farhan became the first Pakistani batter to hit a six off Jasprit Bumrah in international cricket during the group-stage match. Farhan took a liking to India’s pace ace in the Super Fours game, too, with Bumrah conceding his most expensive PowerPlay spell in T20Is.
The Pakistan opener may not be third time lucky, with Bumrah rediscovering his rhythm with a parsimonious four for 18 in four overs against Bangladesh.
Team composition
Bumrah and Dube will return to the Playing XI after being rested for the dead rubber against Sri Lanka. However, there are doubts surrounding Hardik Pandya’s availability, with the all-rounder leaving the field due to cramps after bowling the first over of the innings.
If Pandya misses out, one of Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana could slot in as the second seamer.
Pakistan is likely to persist with its strategy to play two specialist pacers in Shaheen and Rauf. All-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Talat will reinforce the seam department.
Now is all that matters
India leads the T20I head-to-head against Pakistan 12-3, and Suryakumar doesn’t consider this lopsided fixture a rivalry anymore.
But as Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson put it succinctly, “The only match that really counts is the one at the end.”
Published on Sep 27, 2025
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