IND vs PAK: Pakistan booked their spot in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025 after securing a 41-run victory over the United Arab Emirates in Dubai
on Wednesday. The win sets up yet another high-stakes clash against arch-rivals India on Sunday, September 21, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which will commence from 8 PM IST onwards.
Chasing 147, UAE began cautiously to avoid a repeat of their earlier batting collapses. However, their slow tempo meant the asking rate climbed beyond reach. A 48-run stand between Ravi Chopra (35) and Dhruv Parashar (20) for the fourth wicket offered some stability, but Pakistan's spinners tightened their grip, stifling the scoring and ensuring the hosts never came close to the target. UAE eventually folded well short of the mark.
Earlier, Pakistan's innings was a tale of recovery. Left reeling by Junaid Siddique's brilliant 4/18 and Simranjeet Singh's 3/26, the Men in Green were in danger of a sub-par total. But Fakhar Zaman's half-century (50 off 36 balls) steadied the ship, while Shaheen Afridi's late fireworks - a 29-run cameo off just 14 deliveries - lifted Pakistan to 146/9.
The win also comes against the backdrop of ongoing controversy surrounding Pakistan in this Asia Cup. The Pakistan Cricket Board had recently expressed frustration over the appointment of Andy Pycroft as match referee, even raising concerns over the much-talked-about handshake incident involving skipper Salman Ali Agha and India's Suryakumar Yadav, something which Pycroft was also involved as per Pakistan claims. While Pycroft later issued an apology to Pakistan, the episode added fuel to tensions between the ICC and PCB, which led to the postponement of the PAK-UAE match by an hour.
That tension now feeds into the next showdown. India and Pakistan already met earlier in the group stage, where India emerged victorious. With both teams now advancing, Sunday's encounter promises to be a blockbuster, not just because of the fierce rivalry but also due to the recent off-field drama.
The stakes couldn't be higher - a Super Four berth at play, bragging rights on the line, and the chance to gain momentum ahead of a possible final clash. Expect another fireworks in Dubai as the cricketing world once again turns its eyes to the sport's most intense rivalry.
![[WATCH] Mohammad Yousuf abuses Suryakumar Yadav on live TV amid Asia Cup handshake controversy](https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/images/f-a270977e8f-a0bfe555-998b-5294-b86c-62f01658ff71-b.webp)
