In the Asia Cup 2025 final today (September 28), the Indian team is set to face Pakistan. This epic clash will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at 8 PM Indian Standard Time. This will mark the third face-off between India and Pakistan in the current tournament.
During the group stage, the Indian team trounced their neighbors by seven wickets, followed by a spectacular six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Super Four match. The Indian team is now eager to defeat Pakistan once again on the Dubai field.
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Fans' eyes are also on the playing 11 for both India and Pakistan in this championship match. Only after the toss will we know both teams' lineup for this contest. However, two changes in the Indian team are confirmed. Star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Shivam Dube are expected to participate in this match.
These players to sit out of the playing 11
Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube were given rest against Sri Lanka in the Super Four match. If Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube make it into the playing 11, then Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh will have to sit out of the Indian squad. Harshit and Arshdeep played in place of these stalwarts against Sri Lanka. Moreover, Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya are likely to remain in the playing 11. Abhishek and Hardik suffered from cramps against Sri Lanka, but the injuries are not serious.
In this decisive showdown against Pakistan, the Indian team might field four specialist batters, one wicketkeeper, two batting all-rounders, a spin-bowling all-rounder, two specialist spinners, and one specialist fast bowler. On the other hand, the Pakistani team could stick with the combination that led them to victory against Bangladesh. There seems to be no indication of changes in Pakistan’s playing 11.
Expectations of another stellar performance from Abhishek and Kuldeep
So far in the Asia Cup 2025, the Indian team remains undefeated, having achieved smashing victories. The biggest strength of the batting lineup is the opener Abhishek Sharma, who has scored 309 runs at a strike rate of 204.63. Meanwhile, spinner Kuldeep Yadav has proven to be a trump card in bowling. Kuldeep has taken 13 wickets with an economy rate of 6.04. The real concern for the Indian team is the middle order batters' performance.
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On the flip side, Pakistan’s batting order seems quite frail. Only Sahibzada Farhan has shown some rhythm. Sam Ayub, on the other hand, has gone for four ducks, leaving Pakistan hoping for a better performance with the bat in this final. The initial spell by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf could prove to be match-defining. If Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill tackle these bowlers well, then Team India's job becomes easier.
India's Probable Playing XI for the Final:
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Pakistan's Probable Playing XI for the Final:
Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Sam Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Mohammad Haris (Wicketkeeper), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Haris Rauf.
