IND vs PAK: Pakistan produced a spirited performance in Dubai on Thursday, pulling off an 11-run win over Bangladesh in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025 to seal their place in the final against arch-rivals India.
Defending just 135, the Men in Green showcased remarkable grit with both ball and field, etching their name in the record books along the way.
Batting first after being put in, Pakistan struggled to find rhythm against disciplined Bangladeshi bowling. Mohammad Haris' 31 provided the only real spark, while captain Salman Ali Agha (19), Shaheen Afridi (19), and Mohammad Nawaz (25) added valuable lower-order runs. Taskin Ahmed (3/28) and Rishad Hossain (2/18) kept the pressure on throughout, restricting Pakistan to what seemed an underwhelming
135/8 in 20 overs.
But Pakistan's bowlers had other plans. Led by their pace attack, they squeezed Bangladesh relentlessly, eventually bowling them out short of the target. The victory set a new milestone - it was the lowest total ever defended in a T20I in Dubai between two full-member nations, surpassing New Zealand's 144 against Pakistan back in 2018.
Speaking after the win, skipper Salman Ali Agha expressed full confidence in his side's ability to challenge India in the final. "We are a good enough team to beat anyone. We will come back on Sunday and try and do that," he said, underlining the team's belief ahead of the high-voltage clash.
Sunday's final will mark only the third time India and Pakistan have squared off in the summit clash of a major ICC or ACC tournament. The first came in 2007 when MS Dhoni's India edged Pakistan by five runs in Johannesburg to win the inaugural T20 World Cup. A decade later, Pakistan turned the tables in style, hammering India by 180 runs in the 2017 Champions Trophy final at The Oval.
India, on the other hand lead 2-0 over their rivals in this particular edition, winning games in the group stage as well as in the Super 4.
With both teams now set to meet again in a title clash after eight years, the stage is perfectly set for another chapter in one of cricket's greatest rivalries.
