The 2025 Asia Cup has reached a fever pitch as India and Pakistan meet in the championship match for the first time in the tournament’s 41-year history. The clash, set in Dubai, promises high drama, not only for the title but also due to the on-field theatrics that have defined this edition. As India enters the final, unbeaten, having won both previous meetings against Pakistan, the later are not a side to let such setbacks stay on for long. Time and again, Pakistan has come out of nowhere, to stand up on the least anticipated occassions, and won.
India albeit undefeated, has relied havily on opener Abhishek Sharma, whose three consecutive fifties have often been the difference. Sharma boasts a striking rate of 204.63 at an average of 51.50, seemingly taking the pressure of the tough batting conditions out of the equation. However, the form of captain Suryakumar Yadav, who has struggled with scores of 0, 5, and 12 in his last three innings, is a matter of contempltion. The final should allow Suryakumar to take into his stride, the spot, both as captain and player.
Pakistan’s journey to the final has been one of surviving batting collapses. The team’s middle order, from no. 3 to 6, averages a cumulative 18.85 in the tournament, with Saim Ayub and captain Salman Agha in particularly poor form. Their lower order, however, has provided clutch contributions, notably Shaheen Afridi, who has struck at 188.63 for his 83 runs. Afridi, promoted to no. 7 in the last Super Fours game, along with all-rounder Hussain Talat and wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris, has been crucial in dragging the team out of precarious situations.
The final will have its light on face-offs between Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill against Pakistan pacers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. The pacers, who were on a mission against Bangladesh, will look to pose a new-ball threat, after being on the receiving end of the Indian openers’ aggressive batting and verbal ripostes in the last fixture. India's spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel will be crucial in the second half of the innings, where Pakistan's batting has struggled.
Team India will see the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube to the playing XI, but the availability of all-rounder Hardik Pandya remains a concern after he left the field struggling against Sri Lanka. Despite India’s 12-3 T20I head-to-head advantage, and an eight-match unbeaten streak in the tournament, Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson had the last and emphatic word, “The only match that really counts is the one at the end.”
