IND vs PAK: As India and Pakistan gear up for their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four showdown, fans cannot forget the last time these arch-rivals met at this stage
of the competition. That was in Dubai in 2022, where Pakistan clinched a nail-biting five-wicket win with just one ball to spare.
India, asked to bat first, came out with aggressive intent. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul set the tone early, smashing Naseem Shah to all parts of the ground as India raced to fifty inside 4.2 overs. However, their dismissals in quick succession halted the charge.
Virat Kohli steadied the innings with a fluent 44-ball 60, but India's middle order struggled against Pakistan's spinners. Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan bowled with control, conceding just 56 runs in eight overs and picking up three wickets. That squeeze meant India could only manage 181 for 7, despite the early flourish.
Pakistan's reply wasn't smooth either. Babar Azam departed cheaply, and Fakhar Zaman never got going. At 63 for 2 in the 12th over, the asking rate was climbing. That's when Nawaz, promoted to No. 4, turned the game on its head. Playing with fearless intent, he struck 42 off just 20 balls, smashing boundaries at will and easing the pressure on Mohammad Rizwan, who anchored with a steady 71 from 51 deliveries.
Even then, the contest went deep. Hardik Pandya dismissed Rizwan late, and Ravi Bishnoi bowled a tight 18th over to bring the equation down to 26 off the last two overs. But a crucial dropped catch by Arshdeep Singh allowed Asif Ali to stay at the crease. Asif, along with Khushdil Shah, plundered 19 runs from Bhuvneshwar Kumar's penultimate over, tilting the game decisively in Pakistan's favor.
There was still drama in the final over as Arshdeep trapped Asif lbw, but with two needed off the last two balls, Iftikhar Ahmed calmly guided Pakistan home.
That 2022 clash remains one of the most gripping India-Pakistan T20 encounters, a reminder of how fine margins often decide their battles. Fans will be hoping for another classic when the two sides meet again in the 2025 Super Four. The Men in Blue have already won the group stage clash by 7 wickets. It is to be seen whether the Men in Green can make a comeback or not.
