Dubai set for high-stakes Pakistan-India Asia Cup clash

The stage is set in Dubai for the Pakistan-India cricket showdown. The arch-rivals will clash in the Asia Cup on Sunday, with the winner securing a place in the Super Four. Pakistan’s bowling, particularly the spinners, has been performing well, but concerns remain over the batting lineup. For victory, the batters will also need to take responsibility. Team management has the option of dropping a spinner to bring pacer Haris Rauf back into the side. Captain Salman Ali Agha said that if the team executes its plans, they can defeat any opponent. He admitted that more effort is still needed in batting, though the bowlers have been exceptional.

On the other hand, like Pakistan, India also won their opening match comfortably. They boast a strong pace and spin attack alongside a powerful batting lineup, though off-field issues could affect performances. Tickets were still available as of yesterday, but organizers are confident of a full house. Strict security arrangements have been made, with police urging fans to follow the law.

According to details, Pakistan and India will face off at the Dubai Cricket Stadium in the Asia Cup on Sunday. This will be the first meeting between the rivals since their military conflict earlier this year. The event is being hosted by the BCCI in the UAE. Officials were under pressure to boycott the match against Pakistan but ignored it and went ahead. Due to media hype over non-issues, Indian cricketers are under extra pressure. Both teams started the tournament successfully — Pakistan bowled out Oman for 67 to seal a 93-run win. Mohammad Haris returned to form with a 66-run innings, though questions remain over other top-order batters. Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha fell first ball, Sahibzada Farhan made 29 off 29, while Hasan Nawaz managed only 9 runs. Fakhar Zaman remained unbeaten on 23 but did not display his usual aggression. At one stage, a total of 200 looked possible, but Pakistan barely reached 160/7. Against India’s strong bowling attack, Pakistan’s batters will need to play responsibly while addressing strike rate and dot-ball concerns. Spinners Saim Ayub, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Abrar Ahmed bowled well, Shaheen Afridi improved in his second spell, while Faheem Ashraf was economical and took two wickets. Indian batters, however, are traditionally strong against spin. Pakistan’s management must decide whether to play both Abrar and Sufiyan or drop one for Haris Rauf.

Captain Salman Ali Agha said: “If we stick to our plans, we can beat any team. We’ve been playing good cricket for the past 2–3 months. We still need improvement in batting, but the bowlers have been outstanding. Against Oman, we should have made at least 180 based on our start. Our spinners are performing very well. Shaheen Afridi bowled a fine second spell, while Faheem Ashraf also impressed. We have three spinners with very different styles, and Saim Ayub contributes exceptionally with both new and old balls.”

Meanwhile, India began the Asia Cup with an emphatic win, bowling out the UAE for just 57. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav took 4 wickets, while pacer Shivam Dube claimed 3. India chased the target in only 4.3 overs, with Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill playing aggressive innings. They will look to replicate that form against Pakistan, though off-field matters could weigh heavily. Following criticism over team selection, the media has targeted Indian cricketers for playing against Pakistan. Even captain Suryakumar Yadav faced backlash for shaking hands with ACC president Mohsin Naqvi. The players know a loss could bring harsh criticism, so they are expected to be cautious. India has senior pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, while Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav strengthen the spin attack. Shubman Gill’s consistency and captain Suryakumar’s aggressive batting could also make the difference.

Ticket sales initially started slowly, with some enclosures still available yesterday, but organizers expect a full house on Sunday. Security has been tightened, with police urging fans to behave responsibly and warning of fines and penalties for violations.

The last time the two sides met in Dubai was in September 2022, when Pakistan won by 5 wickets thanks to Mohammad Nawaz’s all-round display and Mohammad Rizwan’s 71 runs. From that team, Mohammad Nawaz, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, and Haris Rauf are still part of the current squad. In their last T20 encounter, India defeated Pakistan in the USA. Recently, Pakistan has won 10 of their last 14 T20 internationals. The winner of Sunday’s match will qualify for the Super Four.