Cricket’s greatest rivalry takes center stage once again as Pakistan and India face off in the 2025 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium. This time, however, the clash carries a different flavor—without its legendary faces.
The icons of the past decade—Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan—are no longer in the picture, leaving the responsibility of carrying this rivalry to the next generation of stars.
Form Guide
Both sides enter the contest in red-hot form, with four wins out of their last five matches. India opened its campaign with a dominant victory over UAE, while Pakistan crushed Oman. With strong net run rates, tonight’s winner is almost certain to qualify for the next round.
Head-to-Head in Asia Cup
India holds the historical edge in Asia Cup encounters.
- Overall (ODI + T20I): 18 matches → India 10 wins, Pakistan 6, 2 ties/no result.
- T20I Asia Cup only: 3 matches → India 2 wins, Pakistan 1.
In overall T20Is, the record also favors India: out of 13 matches, India has won 10 while Pakistan has managed 3 victories, all while chasing.
Pitch & Conditions
Dubai is expected to be hot and humid, with the pitch generally favoring bowlers. Notably, the chasing team has won 7 of the 8 T20Is between these sides at this venue since 2014, making the toss a crucial factor.
Probable Lineups
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed.
More Than Just a Match
This showdown is about more than points—it’s the beginning of a new chapter in cricket’s fiercest rivalry. With fresh faces, unpredictable conditions, and the weight of history, tonight’s match could mark the rise of the next cricketing superstar.
The stage is set. The pressure is immense. And the world is watching to see who will step up and claim their place in history.
