IND vs PAK: The Asia Cup 2025 has entered its crucial phase, and the marquee clash everyone is waiting for - India vs Pakistan - is scheduled for Sunday,
September 14 in Dubai. This will be the first T20I meeting between the two rivals since the 2024 T20 World Cup, but the backdrop this time is very different.
The political climate following the Pahalgam attack has sparked debate, with a section of fans calling for a boycott. Despite the tension, the BCCI has chosen to field the national team in this multi-nation event, ensuring the contest will go ahead.
On the cricketing front, Pakistan appear a shadow of their past sides. With limited match-winners in their ranks, this squad has been widely labelled as one of the weakest to take the field in an India-Pakistan encounter. That doesn't diminish the intensity of the rivalry, but it does underline the gulf between the two sides.
India, meanwhile, look confident after experimenting with their line-up in the opening game against the UAE. Sanju Samson, usually seen at the top of the order, was used as a middle-order option. To make space for Kuldeep Yadav, the team management left out Arshdeep Singh and added an extra batter - a move that raised eyebrows but ultimately worked well.
With Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma cementing their roles at the top, the middle order now has a fluid structure. Depending on the situation, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, or Shivam Dube could shuffle their positions to stabilize or accelerate the innings. If India lose an early wicket, Samson could walk in ahead of Suryakumar, while the latter is more likely to feature if the powerplay is successfully negotiated.
As for the bowling attack, the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy looks indispensable. This combination has the right mix of pace and mystery spin to trouble opponents on Dubai's two-paced tracks. The only possible tweak could be the inclusion of Arshdeep Singh as an additional pacer, which might come at the expense of Shivam Dube.
Predicted XI: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube/Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.
