Controversies and tensions have preceded numerous India-Pakistan cricket matches. The upcoming match at Dubai International Stadium on September 14th carries a unique atmosphere, possibly unprecedented this century. Strong opposition and calls for a boycott surround this Asia Cup 2025 encounter due to the recent terrorist attacks and the ensuing conflict. Despite the protests, both teams are preparing to compete, suggesting a potentially tense match.
Both teams are on different trajectories. India, having won the T20 World Cup, has maintained its dominance despite incorporating new players. Pakistan, on the other hand, has been experiencing instability and struggles to improve its performance following a disappointing World Cup showing.
Both teams secured convincing wins in their initial matches. India defeated the UAE, dismissing them for just 57 runs, achieving the target in 27 balls with 9 wickets in hand. Pakistan triumphed over Oman by 93 runs, restricting them to 67 runs with their spin attack, although their batting performance struggled to reach 160. The Indian bowling attack, featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Hardik Pandya, poses a significant challenge for the Pakistani batsmen.
India holds a superior record against Pakistan in the T20 format. India has won 10 out of the 13 matches played, dating back to their tied match in the 2007 T20 World Cup, which India won in a bowl-out. Pakistan has only secured 3 victories, with two of them occurring in the last four years. Pakistan’s last win against India in this format was in the 2022 Asia Cup.
The playing eleven is a topic of major interest. Both teams fielded similar playing elevens in their opening matches in Dubai. Both sides included a key fast bowler (Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi), while an all-rounder (Hardik Pandya and Faheem Ashraf) played the role of the second seamer. The spin bowlers played a crucial role for both teams. It remains to be seen if India and Pakistan will employ similar strategies against each other.
Tickets sales have also become a concern. Several political parties and social organizations in India are protesting the match. Some have announced street protests, while social media personalities and influencers have urged people not to watch the match. Organizers in Dubai are facing challenges as ticket sales haven’t fully materialized. With only 50% of tickets sold two days before the match, high ticket prices may result in empty seats at Dubai International Stadium.