The Asia Cup 2025 is hosting what is arguably the biggest cricket rivalry once again, as India and Pakistan face off. Here are five exciting match-ups to watch out for in the India vs Pakistan showdown:

• Bumrah vs Ayub: India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah against Pakistan's talented opener Saim Ayub is set to be a mouthwatering powerplay battle.
• Varun vs Fakhar: How Pakistan middle order star Fakhar Zaman handles the Indian mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy will be interesting to see unfold. Chakravarthy's element of mystery could mess with the minds of Pakistani batters.
• Abhishek vs Shaheen: Dealing with Pakistan's left-arm lead pacer Shaheen Afridi will be the biggest task for the explosive Indian opener Abhishek Sharma.
• Suryakumar vs Abrar: India's captain Suryakumar Yadav will face the challenge of maneuvering the middle overs against Pakistan's main spinner Abrar Ahmed. Abrar's leg-breaks have gained him a lot of fans across Pakistan.
• Hardik vs Nawaz: The combined impact of both all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Mohammad Nawaz could play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome.

Other Key Match-ups:

• Gill vs Shaheen: This is another key match-up to watch.
• Spin battle: The presence of one right-arm wrist spinner and one left-arm wrist spinner each on both sides makes for a fascinating sub-plot. Sufiyan Muqeem is a good bowler, but nowhere close to a much craftier Kuldeep Yadav, whose googly has been unplayable.

India's Strengths:

On paper, India appears to be the stronger side. India has been in terrific form and continued to play with a fearless batting approach. The likes of Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav don't shy away from taking on the bowlers from the first ball itself, while the return of Shubman Gill provides stability. India generally enjoys the upper hand over Pakistan in Asia Cup encounters, in both ODIs and T20Is. Strong squads, deep batting line-ups, and calmness under pressure have helped India secure crucial wins.

Pakistan's strengths:

Pakistan is in a transitional phase and has shown inconsistent form on several occasions.

Historical Context:

The inaugural T20 Asia Cup took place in 2016, marking a new chapter for the tournament. Since then, India and Pakistan have faced each other three times in the T20 format of the event, all in Dubai. Across 18 Asia Cup meetings, India lead 10-6, with two matches ending without a result. India emerged victorious twice, winning by five wickets in both 2016 and 2022, while Pakistan claimed a five-wicket win in the 2022 Super 4 clash. A match between the two countries is a rarity with no bilateral series since 2013, given the political relations.

Other Factors:

The clash occurs amid strained relations. In the previous meeting at the Champions Trophy 2025, the India vs Pakistan match garnered 26 billion minutes of watch time on Indian television, which was more than even their World Cup meeting in 2023.