Asia Cup 2025 Schedule | Asia Cup Points Table
The build-up is subdued despite the backdrop of rising border tensions in recent months and the added context of a ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India just four months away. Traditionally, an India-Pakistan match on a Sunday brings with it deafening hype, but this time the tone feels muted.
India’s squad is loaded with match-winners — from batters like Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma, to pacer Jasprit Bumrah, and spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. In comparison, Pakistan are still rebuilding under their new captain Salman Ali Agha.
Upsets can happen in the T20 format, but on paper, India’s depth makes them hard to topple. For Pakistan, the likes of young opener Saim Ayub, middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz, and the spin trio of Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Nawaz will be eager to prove that their team can thrive beyond the shadows of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Politics cast a shadow
The Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives has fuelled tensions and cast a sombre mood over this high-profile fixture. The attack was followed by Operation Sindoor and a surge of public anger, which has contributed to the low-key build-up.
Thousands of tickets remain unsold, and barely any fans showed up at India’s practice session on Friday. Calls for a boycott have gained some traction, and it remains unclear how many Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials will even attend.
While the Government of India permits matches against Pakistan at multi-nation tournaments, bilateral cricket remains off the table. Travelling media has tried to inject drama, but players and team representatives have steered clear of political questions.
Spin duel
Unlike the traditional India-Pakistan narrative of Indian batters versus Pakistani fast bowlers, this contest could revolve around spin. Only Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi are specialist pacers expected to play, making spinners crucial despite the pitch offering little turn.
Both teams have a right-arm wrist spinner and a left-arm wrist spinner in their ranks. Sufiyan Muqeem has talent but lacks the guile of Kuldeep Yadav, whose googly has been nearly unreadable. Abrar Ahmed brings flair and fanfare, but Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery spin could trouble Pakistan’s young batters like Saim Ayub and Shahibzad Farhan, who struggle to read spinners from the hand.
Mohammad Nawaz, ranked 30th among bowlers, may find it hard to match the impact of India’s dependable yet underrated Axar Patel.
India’s power-packed batting
Pakistan’s bigger headache may be India’s explosive batting order. With Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube in their ranks, India have multiple players who can dismantle attacks.
Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf cannot match Hardik’s match-winning pedigree, and India have enough firepower to neutralise conditions. The only major threat is Shaheen Shah Afridi, who starred at this venue in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 by removing KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and later Virat Kohli. But post knee surgery, his swing and movement have waned.
For India, finding the right batting combination will be key. Sanju Samson’s role is vital, and Shivam Dube is tasked with attacking spin in the middle overs.
The atmosphere may be oddly quiet, but the stakes remain massive. Whenever India and Pakistan face off, hype or no hype, the cricketing world watches.
