DUBAI: Cricketing giants Pakistan and India will meet in a high-stakes Asia Cup 2025 Group A encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, the first clash between the arch-rivals since their military confrontation in May this year.
The fixture, scheduled to begin at 7:30pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST), will draw global attention as the neighbours resume their fierce on-field rivalry.
Their last meeting came in February during the ICC Champions Trophy, when India defeated Pakistan by six wickets.
Both sides enter the contest on the back of strong performances. India, the reigning T20 world champions, opened their Asia Cup campaign with a nine-wicket win over the UAE, while Pakistan outclassed Oman by 93 runs.
According to tournament statistics, India and Pakistan have met 19 times in the Asia Cup across ODI and T20 formats.
India hold the upper hand with 10 wins, compared to Pakistan’s six, while three matches ended without a result. Pakistan’s last victory came in 2022.
Players to Watch
Pakistan will look to the firepower of Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha and Mohammad Haris. India, meanwhile, boast heavyweights including captain Suryakumar Yadav, vice-captain Shubman Gill and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Pakistan’s Saim Ayub said his side was ready for the challenge.
“The Pakistan-India match has always been a big event. We have prepared for every match equally and we are ready,” he told reporters.
Pakistan coach Mike Hesson urged his squad to stay focused. “Being part of a highly-charged event is going to be exciting, but for us it is about keeping everybody focused on the job at hand,” he said.
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak struck a similar note, stressing players were focused only on cricket. “Once the BCCI said they are aligned with the government, we are here to play. Players are focused on playing cricket and nothing else,” he told journalists in Dubai.
Political Overtones
The match comes against the backdrop of political tensions. Bilateral cricket between the two countries has been suspended since 2012, with contests now limited to international tournaments at neutral venues.
Following May’s military confrontation, some Indian politicians and former players called for the team to boycott Pakistan.
Former cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kedar Jadhav told ANI news agency that “this match should not be played”. However, BJP lawmaker Anurag Thakur said India’s participation was unavoidable in multinational tournaments.
