India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Rivalry: History is about to be made on Sunday in the Asia Cup 2025 final. This is the first time in this 41-year-old tournament that Team India and Pakistan will be facing each other in the finals in an ultimate showdown. India, having a record of 8 trophies, is the most successful team in this competition, while Team Pakistan have lifted the cup only twice. The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match is now gaining steam as fans are set to witness a title fight that this tournament has never seen before.
What’s at stake for Team India and Pakistan?
The Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan carries the weight of a rivalry that’s not just on the field. It is evident that heightened emotions from both teams have dominated this tournament following the much-talked about controversies on and off the field.
For India, the Sunday win will not only bring home a ninth trophy but also give the team momentum and confidence for bigger challenges ahead. But this isn’t another match for Team India.
– Amid controversies: The build-up has been tense. The BCCI had recently registered a complaint in the ICC against Pakistan players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan. The two players were in the spotlight after making provocative gestures of “gun salute” and “falling plane” in their earlier match against India.
– Shunning long-standing post match traditions: On top of that, the tradition of post-match handshakes has been skipped twice, raising questions about the spirit of the game. Suryakumar Yadav had said that the long standing post-match tradition of handshake was skipped because they stand with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. In fact, multiple videos that went viral on social media showed that the Pak players had also come to the green room to meet the Indian players but the doors were shut by the latter.
– Pakistan in a tough spot: For Pakistan, the stakes are just as heavy. They have only two Asia Cup wins to their name, and beating India in a historic final would be the kind of moment their fans would cherish for years. A victory here would mean more than just a medal. In fact, it would be about proving the fact that they can rise to the occasion against their greatest rivals.
– Pak may want to revive the team’s image: Nevertheless, the accusations that have been made against them for the provocative celebrations on-field and intimidation, have put Pakistan at a disadvantage as it risks damaging the team’s image and also the wider perception of the rivalry.
– Extra heat, extra edge: All this adds an extra edge to a final that already carries enormous pressure. The Asia Cup trophy is at stake. But so is cricket’s reputation, and the chance for either India or Pakistan to walk away with more than just a win.
‘Break India’s aura’: Shoaib Akhtar’s message ahead of the India vs Pakistan final
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has called on the Pakistan team to forget the “aura” around India and play fearless cricket in the Asia Cup final. India have already beaten Pakistan twice in the tournament, but Akhtar urged his team to approach the final with the same fighting spirit they showed against Bangladesh, where they recovered from 49/5 to win and secure their place in the final on Thursday night.
Akhtar said Pakistan should focus on taking wickets and putting pressure on India rather than just completing their 20 overs. He highlighted that Pakistan has top-class fast bowlers like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, who can challenge any batting lineup in the world. By attacking India with confidence, Akhtar believes Pakistan can force their rivals to work for every run and possibly disrupt their momentum. “Look, no matter how India plays, Gautam, who played with us, will tell them ‘Is team ka aitbaar nahi’ (You can’t trust this team to always play badly),” he said.