DUBAI : Pakistan and India will clash in the Asia Cup final today (Sunday), marking the first time in the tournament’s 41-year history that the two arch-rivals meet in the title match.The highly anticipated showdown will begin at 7:30 pm local time at the Dubai International Stadium.
While India has already defeated Pakistan twice in earlier stages of the tournament, the final is expected to be a different contest altogether.Cricket fans across the globe are eagerly awaiting the high-stakes match, with expectations riding high on the Pakistani side. Calls for “bold leadership” have been directed at Salman Ali Agha, while star performers like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub are being looked at as potential game-changers.
Pakistan qualified for the final after defeating Bangladesh by 11 runs in a crucial Super Four match, effectively a semi-final. Historically, Pakistan and India have faced each other in five tournament finals across various competitions. Pakistan leads this rivalry with three wins, while India has emerged victorious twice.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference the other day, captain Salman expressed confidence in his team, saying: “We’re hopeful of a strong performance in the final. Our goal is to win the cup, and we won’t repeat past mistakes.”He acknowledged the pressure both teams face and hinted that Pakistan may have saved its best batting for the final. The playing XI, he said, will be finalised after assessing pitch conditions.