Asia Cup 2025: India vs Pakistan Preview, Prediction, Team News

India (IND) will face Pakistan (PAK) in the most anticipated clash of the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, September 14, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with Suryakumar Yadav’s men looking to continue their dominant record against their arch-rivals in this blockbuster encounter that marks the first meeting between these nations in the changed climate after Pahalgam

India vs Pakistan: Preview

A new generation of India and Pakistan players comes together at a time the contest has taken on enormous consequence. The greats are gone. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have to settle for a place on the couch. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will need to produce tickets to get into the game. A page has inevitably turned – just as it did to bring those four into centre stage – and now it is the time of Abhishek Sharma and Saim Ayub and Salman Agha and Shubman Gill.

In different circumstances, this might have been a salivating prospect. Intriguing at the very least. But Sunday will mark the first time India and Pakistan play against each other in this changed climate after Pahalgam. And maybe as the game goes on and there is a pretty shot or a perfect ball, we’ll feel that old flutter. Someone new to root for (or against, because that is fun too). There are plenty of contenders.

India lock horns with Pakistan in match No. 6 of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 14. The Men in Blue are in red-hot form in the T20 format. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side annihilated the UAE in their opening fixture in the Asia Cup. Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube combined to pick up seven wickets as the UAE were bowled out for 57. India chased it down in just 4.3 overs with nine wickets to spare.

Pakistan, on the other hand, started their Asia Cup campaign with a 93-run win against Oman. Salman Ali Agha and Co. scored 160/7 before dismissing Oman for 67. Mohammad Haris starred with the bat, scoring 66 off 43 balls. Meanwhile, Saim Ayub, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Faheem Ashraf bagged two wickets apiece.

India will enter the match as favourites due to their consistency in the format in recent times. Pakistan will have to bring their A-game to the fore to beat the fearless Indian lineup.

Since their previous meeting in T20Is at the T20 World Cup, India have recorded a run rate of 9.66 (third best among Full Members) in men’s T20Is, while Pakistan are 8.12 (seventh best among Full Members).

India vs Pakistan: Recent Form

Following their comprehensive victory over UAE in the tournament opener, India has maintained exceptional form with their aggressive batting approach and disciplined bowling attack.

India: WWWLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
Pakistan: WWWLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)

Both teams come into this crucial encounter with identical recent form, having won four of their last five T20I matches. India’s dominant display against UAE, where they bowled out the hosts for just 57 and chased down the target in 4.3 overs, showcased their ruthless efficiency. Pakistan’s 93-run victory over Oman demonstrated their balanced approach with both bat and ball, with Mohammad Haris’s explosive 66 off 43 balls leading the charge.

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-Head

The head-to-head record heavily favours India in T20I cricket, with the Men in Blue dominating their neighbours across multiple encounters.

Matches Played	13
Won By IND	10
Won By PAK	03
First-ever Fixture	September 14, 2007
Most recent Fixture	June 9, 2024

Key Statistics:

• The team chasing has won seven of the eight T20Is between India and Pakistan since the start of 2014, including the three that have taken place in Dubai
• Hardik Pandya is the leading wicket-taker in the men’s T20Is between India and Pakistan, with 13 strikes from six innings. He took three three-fors in those six innings and averages only 12 runs per wicket with the ball
• Since their previous meeting in T20Is at the T20 World Cup, India have recorded a run rate of 9.66 (third best among Full Members) in men’s T20Is, while Pakistan are 8.12 (seventh best among Full Members)

Pitch Conditions and Weather Report

Dubai is not a high-scoring venue. The average run rate in the first innings over the last two years – that’s 36 T20s – is 7.7. Fast bowlers have picked up more wickets in this period (277 out of 441) but spinners have been more economical (7.03 vs 8.36). There is no rain expected, but the heat is likely to be stifling.

Pitch Characteristics:

• The new ball is expected to swing around for a couple of overs
• Batters who get themselves set at the crease should look to make the most of it
• New batters might need some time to get accustomed to the surface
• The captain who wins the toss would want to bowl first

Weather Conditions: Weather conditions will present a significant challenge, with temperatures remaining high even during match hours. The stifling heat will test the physical conditioning and endurance of both teams throughout the contest. There is no rain expected for the encounter.

Match Details:

Match	India vs Pakistan, Match 6, Asia Cup 2025
Venue	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Date & Time	Sunday, September 14, 8:00 PM (IST)
Live Broadcast and Streaming	Sony Sports Network, SonyLIV (App & Website), & YuppTV (App & Website)

Team News and Predicted XI

India – Team News

With pitches in the UAE tending to play slow, India seem comfortable playing just the one specialist fast bowler in Jasprit Bumrah, with Hardik Pandya and, if needed, Shivam Dube offering seam-bowling cover. That leaves ample room for a left-arm wristspinner (Kuldeep Yadav), a mystery spinner (Varun Chakravarthy) and a containment specialist (Axar Patel).

India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate highlighted the team’s versatility: “We’re very lucky with Sanju, Axar and Hardik – guys who can bat anywhere from up the order to 7-8. So it’ll be part of our strategy to use our versatility when conditions are a little bit tough, like we expect them to be.”

The team is likely to stick with Sanju Samson behind the stumps and include Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI, considering the spin-friendly conditions expected in Dubai.

India – Predicted XI (Probable)

1. Abhishek Sharma
2. Shubman Gill
3. Sanju Samson (wk)
4. Suryakumar Yadav (capt)
5. Tilak Varma
6. Shivam Dube
7. Hardik Pandya
8. Axar Patel
9. Kuldeep Yadav
10. Jasprit Bumrah
11. Varun Chakravarthy

Pakistan – Team News

Pakistan also have seam-bowling allrounders in their ranks capable of allowing the team to invest heavily in spin, which is what happened in their Asia Cup opener against Oman. They may however want to bring Haris Rauf back into the playing XI for this crucial encounter against India.

Pakistan batter Saim Ayub emphasized the importance of process over pressure: “It’s a big game, and fans from both countries care deeply about it. But it’s important for us to follow our processes in the same way, and work on improving our execution.”

Captain Salman Ali Agha has the luxury of a fully fit squad to choose from, with all players available for selection.

Pakistan – Predicted XI (Probable)

1. Sahibzada Farhan
2. Saim Ayub
3. Fakhar Zaman
4. Salman Agha (capt)
5. Hasan Nawaz
6. Mohammad Haris (wk)
7. Mohammad Nawaz
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Shaheen Shah Afridi
10. Sufiyan Muqeem
11. Abrar Ahmed

Players to Watch Out For

India (Suryakumar Yadav)

In five T20Is against Pakistan, Suryakumar Yadav has never been able to cross the score of 20. Batters who have such an intimate relationship with risk do go through lulls.

The thing is, though, breaking out of them might be as easy as connecting one shot in exactly the way they want. The Indian captain will be desperate to break this jinx against Pakistan and lead from the front in this crucial encounter.

Pakistan (Salman Agha)

Salman Agha set Pakistan on their path to catch up with the rest of the world, demanding his batters to err on the side of glorious abandon. He isn’t exactly a natural when it comes to that either, but over time, the allrounder learnt to tailor his strengths to keep up with the pace of T20 cricket. Four of his eight fifties in the format have come this year, showcasing his improved approach and form.

India (Abhishek Sharma)

Abhishek Sharma played a blistering knock of 30 off 16 balls against the UAE in India’s tournament opener. He has scored 565 runs from 17 innings in his T20I career at an average of 33.24 and a strike rate of 193.50. If Abhishek can get going early, India could get themselves into a spectacular position, especially considering his explosive batting style at the top of the order.

India (Jasprit Bumrah)

Jasprit Bumrah will be the bowler to watch out for on Sunday. His overs with the new ball are going to be crucial for India’s prospects. Pakistan should try not to give wickets to Bumrah early in his spell as that can make him even more lethal. His record against Pakistan in T20Is and his current form makes him India’s most potent weapon.

Match Prediction

Based on current form, head-to-head record, and team balance, India enters as the clear favourite for this blockbuster encounter.

Scenario 1

• India win the toss and opt to bowl first
• Pakistan struggle in powerplay: 35-45 runs
• Pakistan Total: 145-155 runs
• India chase comfortably with wickets in hand
• Result: India win the match

Scenario 2

• Pakistan win the toss and opt to bowl first
• India dominate powerplay: 50-60 runs
• India Total: 165-175 runs
• India defend the total successfully with spin and pace combination
• Result: India win the match

Today’s Match Prediction: India to win the match

India’s dominant record against Pakistan in T20Is (10 wins out of 13 matches), combined with their clinical performance against UAE where they bowled out the hosts for just 57, suggests they have the psychological and tactical edge. Their run rate of 9.66 since the last T20 World Cup compared to Pakistan’s 8.12 further reinforces their superiority in the format.

However, Pakistan’s improved batting approach under Salman Ali Agha’s leadership, exemplified by their 93-run victory over Oman, could make this contest more competitive than the statistics suggest. Mohammad Haris’s explosive 66 off 43 balls against Oman showed Pakistan’s potential to challenge any bowling attack.

The key factors favoring India include:

• Superior head-to-head record in T20Is
• Better recent form and higher run rate
• Balanced team composition with quality spinners for Dubai conditions
• Hardik Pandya’s excellent record against Pakistan (13 wickets in 6 innings)

Where and When to Watch India vs Pakistan? Broadcast and Streaming Details

Indian cricket enthusiasts can catch the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 blockbuster clash live on multiple Sony Sports Network channels, including Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 5, and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD for English commentary. Regional language broadcasts are available on Sony Sports Ten 3 and Sony Sports Ten 3 HD for Hindi commentary, while Sony Sports Ten 4 offers Tamil and Telugu commentary options.

For digital viewers, live streaming is exclusively available on the SonyLIV app and website, requiring a subscription that starts from ₹399 per month. Additional streaming options include YuppTV (App & Website) for international viewers seeking comprehensive coverage of this marquee encounter.

The toss is scheduled for 7:30 PM IST, with the match commencing at 8:00 PM IST on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The match timing ensures prime-time viewing for cricket enthusiasts across the Indian subcontinent.

International viewers can access coverage through various regional broadcasters across different markets, ensuring global coverage of what promises to be the most-watched match of the Asia Cup 2025.

Complete Broadcast Details:

• Live TV: Sony Sports Network (multiple channels with language options)
• Live Streaming: SonyLIV App & Website, YuppTV App & Website
• Match Time: 8:00 PM IST (6:30 PM local Dubai time)
• Toss Time: 7:30 PM IST

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