India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Highlights: ‘Are umpire se toh mil le’- Gautam Gambhir’s remark to Team India players reignites handshake debate

At the end of the second over, Pakistan reached 17/0 with a healthy current run rate of 8.50. Fakhar Zaman was looking in fine touch, scoring 11 off just 6 balls with two boundaries, while Sahibzada Farhan contributed 6 runs off 6 deliveries. Jasprit Bumrah conceded 11 runs in his first over, and Hardik Pandya gave away 6 in his initial spell. Pakistan’s openers are clearly intent on giving their side a flying start.

Zaman plays a spectacular shot, racing to the boundary with style.

Zaman finds the boundary with a well-timed shot, bringing up the first four of the innings.

Fakhar Zaman gets off the mark by stepping down the track early and playing the ball for a couple.

Sahibzada Farhan has faced 6 balls and scored 6 runs, while Fakhar Zaman is yet to open his account. Hardik Pandya bowled the first over, conceding 6 runs without taking a wicket.

Hardik Pandya to Sahibzada Farhan – 2 runs. Attempted catch dropped by Abhishek Sharma.

Hardik Pandya to Sahibzada Farhan – no run. Length on fourth stump at 137 km/h, punched back to the bowler from the crease.

Hardik Pandya to Sahibzada Farhan – no run

India has opted to bowl first, with their bowlers taking positions on the field. Pakistan’s openers are now out on the pitch, ready to begin their innings in this high-stakes Super Four encounter.

Both India and Pakistan players have walked out onto the Dubai stadium for the national anthems, setting the stage for the much-anticipated Super Four clash.

The pitch is identical to the one used in the previous India-Pakistan clash. Covers were removed four hours before the match, and it has since been rolled extensively. Dubai is scorching hot today, but temperatures are expected to drop by evening, bringing the possibility of dew affecting play later in the game.

At the toss, neither the captains nor match referee Andy Pycroft shook hands, highlighting the lingering tension between the two sides ahead of the high-stakes Super Four clash.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha said the team would have liked to bowl first but emphasized that “this game is a new challenge and we want to play good cricket.” He added that the mood in the camp is normal. The Men in Green have made two changes for the Super Four clash, bringing Faheem Ashraf and Hussain Talat back into the XI in place of Mohammad Nawaz and Khushdil Shah.

In India-Pakistan T20Is, the team batting second has dominated recent encounters, winning eight of the last nine matches. The only exception was the T20 World Cup clash in New York last year, where the chasing side fell short. This trend highlights the advantage of chasing in high-pressure games between the arch-rivals.

Pakistan (Playing XI): Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy

Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that India will bowl first in the Super Four clash against Pakistan. “The track looks good, and there was dew yesterday. From the first round, we’ve been treating every game like a knockout, so nothing changes. That was a completely different wicket in Abu Dhabi. This one is quite normal, just another game,” he said. India will also welcome back Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, replacing Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana in the playing XI.

India have won the toss and chosen to bowl first in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium. Opting to field allows India to exploit early conditions and put pressure on Pakistan’s batting lineup, especially given their struggles against spin. The Men in Blue will look to restrict Pakistan to a manageable total, while planning a calculated chase with their in-form batters like Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. The decision also reflects confidence in India’s bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy, to control the game from the outset.

The toss for India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash is scheduled for 7:30 PM IST. Whether India will bat or bowl first depends on pitch assessment and team strategy. Historically at Dubai, chasing teams have held an edge, but India might choose to bat first to put Pakistan under pressure, especially if Axar Patel’s bowling is fully available. If conditions favor spin and early wickets, India could consider bowling first to exploit Pakistan’s batting inconsistencies. The decision at the toss will likely shape the game’s strategy and momentum.

Axar Patel hasn’t bowled yet in the warm-ups, though he was a key performer in the previous India-Pakistan clash. “Now he’s having a look at the pitch and visualizing. Ravi Shastri spoke to him for a few seconds, pointed to his neck in response,” sources noted, leaving his availability for full bowling duties still under observation.

Chasing teams generally enjoy a strong edge in Dubai, having once won 15 consecutive Full-Member T20Is at the venue. However, recent trends show a more balanced picture: in the last five encounters, the chasing side has won three times and lost twice, indicating that while chasing remains advantageous, teams cannot take victory for granted.

Round two of India vs Pakistan at this year’s Asia Cup promises fireworks after their previous clash left a lasting mark. Back in Dubai, where spin dominates, all eyes will be on Axar Patel and how he has recovered from his head injury. Pakistan secured their Super Fours spot in dramatic fashion with a win over UAE and now face a stage with zero margin for error, setting the scene for a high-stakes, tension-filled encounter between the arch-rivals.

“Gonna be an interesting game. Pak will be charged after all the drama. India know that and will try to be clinical. Who can play with discipline and use their emotions positively will define who wins the game,” Suryakumar Yadav said, appearing upbeat at his pre-match press conference. The Men in Blue will look to stay composed and execute their plans, while Pakistan could harness their charged energy to spring surprises in this high-stakes encounter.

If Axar Patel is unavailable for the India vs Pakistan Super Four clash, India could consider bringing in Arshdeep Singh as a replacement. This would lengthen the bowling attack, but given Pakistan’s inconsistent batting, an extra specialist bowler could help build pressure. With the Dubai wickets unlikely to require 200+ totals, Shubman Gill can anchor the innings, reducing the need for extra batting depth. However, in all probability, Harshit Rana might start ahead of Arshdeep, keeping a balance between batting depth and bowling options.

India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash will see the toss take place at 7:30 PM IST, with the match starting at 8:00 PM IST in Dubai. Toss will play a crucial role in this high-voltage encounter, given the dew factor and the chasing advantage at the venue. Both captains, Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha, will be eyeing the right call to set the tone for the match.

Sanju Samson, who scored a fluent half-century at No. 3 against Oman, has been in the spotlight over his batting position. While his success came at the top order, the team management is set to use him at No. 5 or 6 against Pakistan in the Super Four clash.

Expert Opinions

Wasim Jaffer and Sunil Gavaskar believe Samson is best suited at the top, where he can face more deliveries and set the tone. On the other hand, Kris Srikkanth has backed him as a finisher in the middle order. Despite limited experience in that role, India are keen to test Samson’s adaptability.

India have stuck with an unchanged XI in recent Asia Cup 2025 matches, which means Arshdeep Singh has been left out again. Reports suggest the team management is backing the same combination that has delivered wins so far.

Former cricketer Irfan Pathan, however, feels Arshdeep should be included to strengthen the pace attack alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Despite that, with the current lineup performing well, selectors are unlikely to make changes.

So, unless there’s a last-minute decision before the toss, Arshdeep Singh is unlikely to feature in the India vs Pakistan Super Four clash.

1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Hasan Nawaz, 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Mohammad Haris (wk), 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar Ahmed.

1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel/Harshit Rana/Arshdeep Singh, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

AI platforms are heavily backing India ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against Pakistan. Grok gives India 70-30 odds, suggesting a win by 15-20 runs if batting second or 6-8 wickets while chasing 160+. Perplexity AI puts India’s win probability at 82%, citing team balance and current form. ChatGPT also names India as favourites, highlighting their spinners’ suitability for the Dubai pitch. Google’s prediction aligns closely, giving India a 78% chance of victory. While cricket remains unpredictable, especially in high-voltage India-Pakistan encounters, all major AI models currently favour the Men in Blue.

The last time India and Pakistan faced off in this Asia Cup, controversy overshadowed the cricket. Awkwardness lingered before the fixture, with bitterness following the result. Since then, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has maintained its standoff with the ICC over match referee Andy Pycroft, who will once again officiate the high-stakes Super Four encounter.

While India looks to focus on their dominant form, Pakistan could use the ongoing friction and off-field tension as motivation, making this clash as much a psychological battle as a cricketing one.