DUBAI: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are all set to lock horns today, Sunday, September 21, in a highly anticipated Super Four encounter of the 2025 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This marks their second meeting in the tournament, but the pressure and expectations are far greater this time around.
India head into the clash with momentum on their side, having remained undefeated in the group stage. Their most recent win came against Oman, where they secured a 21-run victory despite testing their bench strength. Captain Suryakumar Yadav used the opportunity to rotate players and fine-tune the batting order ahead of this crucial match.
Meanwhile, Pakistan will be looking to avenge their earlier loss to India. After starting their campaign with a convincing 93-run win over Oman, they suffered a seven-wicket defeat in their first meeting with India. However, a 41-run win against the UAE secured their place in the Super Four and set the stage for a heated rematch.
The atmosphere between the two teams remains tense, particularly after the previous encounter where the Indian team reportedly declined the traditional post-match handshake with their Pakistani counterparts a gesture that drew attention given the political undertones often present in India-Pakistan contests.
The rivalry, already one of the fiercest in world cricket, is expected to bring a charged atmosphere both on and off the field.
Squad:
India:
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel/Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy
Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed.
