India and Pakistan set for Asia Cup clash in Dubai on Sunday

India and Pakistan face off in a Group A Asia Cup clash in Dubai on Sunday. India start as favourites, but Pakistan’s unpredictability and political backdrop add spice to the encounter

New Delhi: India and Pakistan are set to renew their rivalry when they clash in a Group A fixture of the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday. Both teams come into the high-voltage encounter after comfortable wins over the UAE and Oman, but their journeys since the last World Cup have followed different trajectories.

Pakistan have endured a turbulent period, struggling to find consistency and forge a clear identity as a team. Their batting has often looked brittle, while their bowling, once their strongest suit, has lacked sharpness. In contrast, India have grown into a formidable force, boasting a lethal combination of in-form batters and a bowling attack widely regarded as the best in the world.

---

Given their balance and depth, India will once again enter the contest as favourites. Yet, with the weight of history and rivalry, Pakistan remain capable of springing a surprise.

In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, many fans and former cricketers voiced strong anger towards Pakistan, with some even questioning whether the match should go ahead.

However, the Indian government gave clearance for the much-anticipated game, allowing the country to play against Pakistan in “international and multilateral events”, but not to engage in “bilateral sports events in each other’s country”.

Despite the official nod, there is not much hype for the weekend clash as tickets were still available online on Saturday, a day before the match, which is unusual for matches between the rivals.

Live streaming details:
The match will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and streamed on the SonyLIV app and website in India.

Squads:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

Pakistan: Salman Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Wasim Jr.