Dubai, September 27 : The Asia Cup final on Sunday in Dubai is set to be more than just a cricket match as India face arch-rivals Pakistan in a clash where politics, rivalry and high emotions loom as large as the game itself. For the 11 Indian players stepping on the field, the focus remains solely on securing victory, but the atmosphere has blurred the line between sport and geopolitics.
As per agency report, the build-up to the final has been stormy. The contest has been likened to a war without gunfire, a phrase once used by American political activist Mike Marqusee. Rarely before has the India-Pakistan fixture unfolded against such a turbulent backdrop, with heated gestures, off-field tensions and fines handed out to both sides dominating discussions alongside cricket.
Despite the noise, the tournament has offered moments of brilliance. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive batting at a strike rate above 200 and Kuldeep Yadav’s 13 wickets have been standout performances. Yet even these achievements have often been overshadowed by controversy. The storm began when Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav avoided handshakes during the toss and after the match in their opening encounter. Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf responded with taunts, abusive remarks and even a plane crash gesture, sparking ICC sanctions that led to a 30 percent fine for both players.
Adding to the drama, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Asian Cricket Council, has kept tensions alive through provocative social media posts. On the field, India have maintained an unbeaten run with six straight wins, their toughest test coming when Sri Lanka forced a Super Over. Pakistan, in contrast, stumbled their way to the final, but as coach Mike Hesson quipped after edging past Bangladesh, only the final truly matters.
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel echoed a similar sentiment in the pre-match press conference, noting that a scrappy win is still a win. However, India’s campaign has not been without concern. Hardik Pandya suffered a muscle injury against Sri Lanka, while Abhishek Sharma struggled with cramps. Morkel confirmed on Friday night that Pandya would be assessed again, while Abhishek had recovered. This comes as a relief, as the young Punjab left-hander has been India’s batting backbone with 309 runs in six matches, far ahead of Tilak Varma’s 144.
The question now is whether others can rise alongside him. Suryakumar Yadav is yet to produce a commanding innings, Shubman Gill has struggled to finish games, and Sanju Samson along with Tilak only found form in a dead rubber against Sri Lanka. Without Abhishek’s powerplay dominance, India’s batting remains vulnerable.
Pakistan face even deeper batting woes. Sahibzada Farhan briefly tested Jasprit Bumrah, but most others faltered. Saim Ayub endured a miserable campaign, dismissed for four ducks and at one stage recording more wickets than runs. Hussain Talat and Salman Ali Agha repeatedly fell to spin, and once again the duel with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy could prove decisive. Pakistan’s hopes hinge heavily on their pace attack. If Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf can dismantle India’s top order early, a low-scoring thriller could unfold. But just as India lean too heavily on Abhishek, Pakistan’s overreliance on their spearheads highlights a lack of reliable support.
Sunday’s contest, scheduled to begin at 8 pm IST, will likely be remembered less for courtesy and more for its result. For India, there is only one acceptable outcome: a win over Pakistan, no matter how it comes.
India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqim.
