Key Points
- India faces Pakistan in a high-stakes Asia Cup T20 group match on Sunday, September 14, 2025, in Dubai.
- The iconic rivalry is unusually subdued this year, with tensions along the border casting a shadow and reducing fanfare and ticket sales.
- India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, comes in as favorites with a formidable squad stacked with in-form batters and world-class bowlers.
- Pakistan, rebuilding under new captain Salman Ali Agha, seeks an upset but lacks recent form and crowd support.
- The match will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV at 8:00 PM IST.
New Delhi: For decades, an India-Pakistan Asia Cup match has been the sport’s hottest ticket. But this Sunday’s meeting at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium comes amid rare calm and controversy: border tensions, recent conflict, and a chill in diplomatic ties have dampened hype, ticket sales, and mass viewership. Some in India have even called for a boycott, arguing that the match is out of place while relations are so strained.
India the Favorites, But Upset Still Possible
Both sides have started the tournament in style, India thrashing UAE and Pakistan easily beating Oman. With batters like Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav, along with a sharp bowling line-up led by Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, India’s squad is the clear pre-match favorite. In contrast, Pakistan—led by new captain Salman Ali Agha—brings a side in transition, backed by pace spearheads Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf but still searching for consistency.
Squad List for Asia Cup Blockbuster
| India | Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Suryakumar Yadav (C) | Salman Ali Agha (C) |
| Shubman Gill | Fakhar Zaman |
| Abhishek Sharma | Hasan Nawaz |
| Tilak Verma | Khushdil Shah |
| Hardik Pandya | Saim Ayub |
| Jitesh Sharma (WK) | Hussain Talat |
| Shivam Dubey | Faheem Ashraf |
| Axar Patel | Mohammad Nawaz |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Mohammad Haris (WK) |
| Arshdeep Singh | Sahibzada Farhan |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Abrar Ahmed |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Haris Rauf |
| Harshit Rana | Hasan Ali |
| Sanju Samson | Salman Mirza |
| Rinku Singh | Shaheen Afridi |
| Sufian Muqeem | |
| Mohammad Wasim Jr. |
Rivalry Overshadowed by Geopolitics
The standoff at the border and calls for diplomatic restraint have led to a subdued atmosphere and limited crowd participation, with reports of many unsold tickets. Still, the unpredictability of T20 cricket, storied history, and pride on the line mean the drama and intensity of India vs Pakistan will return, if not in the stands, then certainly on the field.
