The highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan is set to take place today, September 28, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This marks the first time in the tournament's 41-year history that these two rivals will clash in the final.
Tournament Context
India has been dominant throughout the tournament, winning all six of their matches. This includes two victories over Pakistan, one in the group stage and another in the Super Four stage. Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, has had a mixed campaign, with their only losses coming against India. They are aiming for their third Asia Cup title and their first since 2012.
Match Details
The final is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM IST. The match is taking place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Team News and Predicted Playing XI
India will likely field their strongest XI, with Jasprit Bumrah expected to return after being rested against Sri Lanka. Hardik Pandya's fitness is a concern after he suffered cramps in the previous match, and a decision on his inclusion will be made closer to the match.
Here’s India's predicted playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya/Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan is unlikely to change their winning combination from their victory against Bangladesh.
Pakistan's predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
Key Players
Abhishek Sharma has been in exceptional form for India, leading the tournament in runs scored with 309 in six matches. His impressive strike rate of 204.64 makes him a dangerous threat to the opposition. For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi is their leading wicket-taker with nine wickets. A key battle to watch will be between Sharma and Afridi.
Form and Momentum
India has had the upper hand in recent encounters between the two sides. Since the 2022 T20 World Cup, India has consistently defeated Pakistan, showcasing their dominance. In their last 15 clashes, India has won 11 times, while Pakistan has only managed 3 victories.
Controversies
The Asia Cup series has been marked by a few off-field controversies. In the first match, Suryakumar Yadav didn't shake hands with Salman Ali Agha. Suryakumar Yadav and Haris Rauf have been fined 30 percent of their match fees for their roles in the controversies.
Weather and Reserve Day
The weather forecast for Dubai indicates a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius, with a Real Feel of 42 degrees. A reserve day has been scheduled for September 29 in case of weather disruptions. If the match ends in a no-result, the trophy will be shared.
Historical Context
This is the first time India and Pakistan are meeting in an Asia Cup final. In T20Is, out of 15 matches, India has won 11, while Pakistan has won 3, with 1 match tied. In multinational finals, out of 5 matches, India has won 2, and Pakistan has won 3.
