Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan Steady After India’s Early Strikes

The much-anticipated India–Pakistan clash at the Asia Cup 2025 lived up to expectations on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. After losing two quick wickets in the opening overs, Pakistan mounted a determined fightback through Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan, who steadied the innings with a composed partnership.

India Strike Early 

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision that appeared costly in the initial moments. Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya struck in the very first over, dismissing Saim Ayub for a golden duck. The early pressure continued as pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah removed Mohammad Haris in the second over, leaving Pakistan reeling at 2/2.

At that stage, the momentum was firmly with India, who went into the match with an unchanged playing XI. Notably, India fielded only one specialist pacer in Bumrah, supported by Pandya and Shivam Dube, while relying heavily on their spin trio of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy.

Pakistan’s Fightback

Despite the shaky start, Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan showed composure against the Indian attack. Playing calculated strokes, the duo guided Pakistan to 42/2 at the end of the powerplay, shifting the pressure back onto the Indian bowlers. Zaman’s aggressive intent and Farhan’s steady approach proved vital in stabilizing Pakistan’s innings.

The match held additional intrigue as both sides fielded the same line-ups from their previous encounters. Pakistan retained the squad that defeated Oman in their Group A opener, banking on familiarity with the Dubai conditions.

Captains’ Views at Toss

India’s stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav explained his preference for bowling first:

“We were looking to bowl first, happy with it. We played just one strip away, was a nice wicket and better to bat on in the night. It’s humid so hoping for some dew. Same team.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha expressed confidence in setting a target:

“Going to bat first. We’ve been playing good cricket, very excited. Looks like a slow wicket. Just want to bat first and put runs on the board. Same side. Have been here for 20-odd days and are used to the conditions.”

Playing XIs

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed.

The Battle Ahead

With Pakistan recovering strongly after the early blows, the match promises to be another gripping chapter in the India–Pakistan rivalry. The focus will now be on whether India’s spinners can make inroads in the middle overs, or if Pakistan’s batting order can post a formidable total under the Dubai lights.