Dubai: Cricket’s fiercest rivalry will take centre stage on Sunday when defending champions India face Pakistan in a high-voltage Asia Cup final in Dubai.
With an unbeaten run in the tournament, India enter the contest as overwhelming favourites, while Pakistan will be driven by the desire to avoid a third consecutive defeat to their arch-rivals.
India have looked every bit the reigning T20 world champions, swatting aside every opponent on their march to the final. They beat Pakistan twice already, first in the group stage and then in the Super Fours and their blend of power hitting, incisive bowling, and depth in all departments has made them the standout team of the eight-nation event.
Opener Abhishek Sharma, the world’s top-ranked T20 batter, has led the charge with 309 runs from six innings, making him the tournament’s leading scorer. His explosive starts in the powerplay overs have masked skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s struggles with the bat.
40+ years. Countless battles. But never this. !
For the first time ever — India vs Pakistan in an
Asia Cup FINAL. The wait is over.! ✨#INDvPAK #Cricket @BCCI pic.twitter.com/EIr6MVejCX— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) September 27, 2025
Meanwhile, India’s bowling unit has been just as ruthless. Jasprit Bumrah’s accuracy in the opening overs has applied pressure, while Kuldeep Yadav has been the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps, supported ably by fellow spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel.
The matches between India and Pakistan have carried an extra edge, marking the first tournament since the two nuclear-armed neighbours engaged in a military conflict in May. Tempers flared in both earlier meetings, adding to the anticipation around Sunday’s decider.
India’s only shaky moment came in Friday’s dead rubber against Sri Lanka, where they needed a Super Over to prevail. For captain Suryakumar, the narrow win served as a timely reminder. “(I got) what I wanted from the boys — just to try and execute their plans, be clear and not to fear. That was really important and I am sure everyone got what they wanted. Happy to be in the final,” he said.
For Pakistan, Sunday’s final is as much about redemption as silverware. Skipper Salman Agha’s men sealed their spot with a tense win over Bangladesh in a virtual semi-final, but will now face the daunting task of halting India’s juggernaut.
