India and Pakistan are set to renew their storied rivalry in the Asia Cup Super Four clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday evening. The stakes, as ever, extend beyond points and qualification scenarios as this is the marquee contest of the tournament, loaded with tension, unpredictability and drama on and off the field.For India, the big news is the return of Jasprit Bumrah to the playing XI as captain Suryamukar Yadav named India’s playing XI after winning the toss and electing to bowl first. After giving opportunities to bench players in the previous fixture against Oman, India are expected to field their strongest combination.Bumrah’s inclusion provides an edge with the new ball and in death overs, while Varun Chakaravarthy’s mystery spin adds another dimension. Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma will look to set the tone at the top, while captain Surya anchors the middle order.Pakistan, meanwhile, arrive with questions of consistency. While their bowling remains threatening, led by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, the batting unit has looked vulnerable, especially against Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wrist spin. Fakhar Zaman and captain Salman Ali Agha will be under pressure to steady the top order, while young Saim Ayub faces scrutiny after a string of failures.Off the field, the build-up has been as chaotic as ever. Pakistan cancelled their pre-match press conference, echoing the uncertainty of their earlier group-stage game that was delayed by an hour. The lingering fallout of the handshake row and PCB’s standoff with the ICC has added layers of drama to a contest that already sells itself.On paper, India look the stronger side, but Pakistan’s unpredictability keeps them dangerous. Both teams know momentum here could define their Asia Cup campaigns and possibly set the tone for bigger battles ahead.India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson(w), Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun ChakaravarthyPakistan (Playing XI): Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
