Asia Cup: Pakistan Ready to Humble India’s Pride, Arch-Rivals Meet Again Today
Pakistan has a golden chance to shatter India’s pride as the two arch-rivals meet once again in the Asia Cup Super Four stage today (Sunday) in Dubai. The Green Shirts are determined to settle old scores and enter the field with renewed passion.
To set the foundation for victory, Pakistan’s top order will need to shoulder responsibility. Concerns remain over the poor batting form of Saim Ayub, while Haris Rauf is likely to be retained in the playing XI. The toss will be crucial, as the winning side is expected to prefer chasing under Dubai conditions. The Pakistani squad underwent an intense training session on Saturday, but, once again, avoided holding a press conference.
On the other hand, India’s average performance against Oman has raised questions and added unseen pressure on their camp. Axar Patel’s participation remains doubtful due to a head injury. Ticket sales for the high-voltage clash have spiked sharply.
Last Sunday, India defeated Pakistan at the same venue, after which the “handshake controversy” dominated headlines throughout the week. Pakistan, however, regained confidence with a convincing win over UAE to reach the Super Four stage. Meanwhile, India remained unbeaten, though Oman managed to expose weaknesses in their lineup. Left-arm pacer Shah Faisal dismissed Shubman Gill early with a late-swinging delivery, giving Pakistan hope that Shaheen Afridi can pose a similar threat.
India’s batting struggled at times on the slow pitch, while their bowlers managed to take only four wickets despite using eight options. Pakistan’s biggest concern remains its inconsistent batting lineup, especially the top order. Saim Ayub has been dismissed for zero in all three matches so far, while Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Hassan Nawaz, and Mohammad Haris are expected to play crucial roles in stabilizing the innings.
Against UAE, Pakistan made two changes—drafting in Haris Rauf and Khushdil Shah—while dropping Sufiyan Muqeem and Faheem Ashraf. It remains to be seen what combination will be used today. Both sides skipped press conferences on Saturday, though India was excused due to the short gap after their game against Oman.
Dubai’s pitch is expected to assist spinners, with chasing teams generally having the upper hand. Statistics show that in the last 15 T20 internationals at the venue, chasing teams have won more often than not. If Axar Patel is unavailable, India’s preferred three-spinner combination for Dubai conditions could be disrupted.
With fans eagerly waiting, the stage is set for yet another thrilling chapter in cricket’s fiercest rivalry.
