In the sixth match of the DP World Asia Cup 2025, defending champions India will take on Pakistan, today, i.e., September 14, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at 8 PM IST.
Typically packed with emotion and energy, the India-Pakistan cricket match on Sunday feels surprisingly muted. The ongoing border tensions, as well as the recent terror incident in Pahalgam, which took 26 lives, have hampered the preparations. Public outrage and social media demands for a boycott have all tempered excitement. Thousands of tickets remain unsold, India’s practice session drew a small attendance, and BCCI officials may miss the event. The joyful spirit that typically surrounds this fixture is noticeably lacking.
However, talking about cricket, India began their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a convincing nine-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates. India’s bowling arsenal put on a spectacular performance, limiting the UAE to a just 57 runs. Kuldeep Yadav shined in the bowling lineup, taking four wickets.
Cricket matches between India and Pakistan have traditionally pitted Indian batters against Pakistani pacers. Abhishek Sharma is ruthless at the start with Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma also going all out. India bat down deep till number eight with Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel along with Sanju Samson. This gives team India a heavy boost. The pace attack is spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and supported by quality spinners such as Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. The depth in both batting and bowling makes India the more settled unit going into this clash.
Pakistan enter the match in a transitional period, with previous captain Babar Azam and keeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan out owing to poor T20 performance. The squad now relies on young talent, which is a daring but risky approach. While Pakistan’s batting remains a problem, particularly under pressure, their world-class pace attack, which includes Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah, might be their saving grace. Early breakthroughs will be critical for upsetting India and establishing a psychological advantage. As underdogs, Pakistan has nothing to lose and much to gain – a victory here would silence detractors and rekindle hope.
Head-to-Head:
India and Pakistan have played 13 T20I matches since the first ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. 10 of these matches have been won by India, including the 2007 opening encounter that ended in a draw and was decided by a Super Over. Pakistan have won just three times, including twice in Dubai.
Where to watch:
