Asia Cup 2025 Final | India vs Pakistan preview: Battle lines drawn for Desert Storm 3.0

Despite tetchy build-up and inevitable attendant undercurrents, it’s cricket that will be in focus at Dubai once Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha walk out for the toss.

Dubai: It’s taken 41 years and 17 editions, but the first India vs Pakistan final in an Asia Cup is finally here. Touted as a three-match bilateral series within the larger contours of a continental tournament, the organisers’ fervent prayers have been answered with a third successive Sunday confrontation, this time for the symbol of ultimate supremacy in Asian cricket.

This T20 Asia Cup has been anything but a straightforward cricketing spectacle. The tragedy of April 22 has grabbed centrestage with India refusing to even look their Pakistani counterparts in the eye, let alone shake hands or exchange pleasantries.

Pakistan haven’t taken to the perceived slight kindly, using bitter words and provocative gestures as well as an untenable boycott threat to make their point.

There’s been an enquiry into a match referee’s (Andy Pycroft) conduct, and Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistanis Sahibzada Farhan and Shaheen Shah Afridi have appeared before the officials for various deemed infractions.

Cricket has almost taken a back seat but despite the tetchy build-up and the inevitable attendant undercurrents, it’s cricket that will be in stark focus at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium once Suryakumar and Salman Agha walk out for the toss.

All-win India were given an almighty scare by Sri Lanka on Friday night in a match that held little more than statistical significance.

While the bowling did cop serious punishment from the excellent Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera, the pace attack comprised bowlers who are unlikely to figure in the final. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana conceded 100 of Sri Lanka’s 202 runs in just eight overs; Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya won’t be as generous.

India will fret over the fitness of Pandya, who left the field after the second over against Sri Lanka, and red-hot opener Abhishek Sharma, who walked off midway through the tenth. Bowling coach Morne Morkel appeared to settle the debate by saying both were afflicted by cramps, understandable given how hot it has been this deep into September.

Whatever fragilities Pakistan might have spotted in India’s second-string bowling attack will be offset by their own tribulations with the bat. Nothing illustrated their woes more than the virtual semifinal against Bangladesh, when they slumped to 49 for five in the 11th over before the lower middle order and their versatile bowling bailed them out.

More than anyone else, they will be aware that India won’t bestow on them the same largesse that Jaker Ali’s Bangladeshis, decidedly out of sorts, did.

Despite their 6-0 record in the tournament, India are yet to produce the perfect game. They boast the two highest totals of the event and five of the six highest Powerplay tallies, much of it due to Abhishek’s unfettered ball-bashing. The left-hander has aggregated 309 runs and is running on a streak of three blazing half-centuries, but he will be well within his rights to expect more from his captain Suryakumar and the latter’s deputy, Shubman Gill, Abhishek’s opening partner.

Abhishek versus Shaheen Shah Afridi has been one of the showdowns of the tournament. The bat has unequivocally dominated that left-against-left faceoff. Abhishek’s takedown of Afridi has been exhilarating as well as tone-setting.

Pakistan will target payback for the 105-run opening salvo between Abhishek and Gill in the last game a week ago, which throws up a mouth-watering subtext to a contest that doesn’t need any artificial props.

Having courted outrage and moral indignation, Pakistan have a grand chance to erase the shattering disappointments of the last fortnight. India know their two previous wins in Dubai will hold little meaning if they don’t complete a hat-trick and wrap their hands around the Asia Cup for a record-extending ninth time. High stakes? What do you think?