After a high-voltage build-up that has made it difficult to distinguish between on-field sport and off-field politics, eleven Indian cricketers will be focused solely on winning when they play an unpredictable Pakistan in the Asia Cup final on Sunday in Dubai.
Matches between the archrivals have never lacked excitement throughout the years, but it has rarely come with such a tense atmosphere, where cricket feels inextricably linked to off-field conflict, aggressive gestures, and penalties imposed on both teams.
Beyond the hubbub, though, the cricket has been exciting, with Kuldeep Yadav’s 13 wickets on a comeback and Abhishek Sharma’s bold 200-plus strike rate taking center stage. Unfortunately, controversies and flashpoints have frequently eclipsed even these accomplishments.
It all started in India’s opening clash, when skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Agha — first at the toss and again after the match.
Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf retaliated with insults, taunting, and even a gesture resembling an airplane crash, sparking a furor that resulted in both parties facing ICC scrutiny and 30% fines. Up until the final, the barbs have persisted.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the head of the Asian Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board, has been repeatedly posting cryptic but provocative content on X to stoke the flames.
On paper, though, India is the tournament’s undefeated powerhouse; in six consecutive victories, Sri Lanka alone forced them into a Super Over.
Pakistan, on the other hand, faltered and stumbled to the end. However, following their victory over Bangladesh, head coach Mike Hesson remarked cynically, “The final is the only match that counts.”
Pedigree is not very important in this matchup. The attitude was even mirrored by India’s own support staff. After being sent on pre-match duty, bowling coach Morne Morkel acknowledged that appearances are no longer important, saying, “Winning it ugly is still winning.”
Although India’s winning streak has been seamless, there have been some injuries.
Abhishek Sharma cramped up under the intense Gulf heat, and Hardik Pandya was forced off after one over due to a hamstring scare against Sri Lanka.
“Hardik will be assessed tomorrow morning. Both him and Abhishek suffered cramps. But Abhishek is fine,” Morkel reassured on Friday night.
With 309 runs in six games, the Punjab left-hander has carried India’s batting burden alone, so that news is welcome. Tilak Varma’s 144 is the next best, and the gap is telling.
The bigger question is whether the rest of India’s line-up can rise around their new talisman. Suryakumar is still waiting for a defining innings, Shubman Gill has promised plenty without delivering big, while Sanju Samson and Tilak have only made their runs against Sri Lanka in games that mattered little.
Abhishek has been setting up platforms in the Powerplay thus far. What if he fails once? India’s back-10 batting hasn’t been very convincing throughout the tournament, and it’s unclear what the backup plan would be in the event of a top-order collapse.
If India depends too much on Abhishek, Pakistan are much more vulnerable. Frankly, their batting has been at the verge of being dreadful.
There has been no batter of substance, with the exception of Sahibzada Farhan, who momentarily unsettling Jasprit Bumrah.
Saim Ayub has had a terrible season, getting four ducks and at one point nearly taking more wickets with the ball than runs with the bat.
Salman Ali Agha and Hussain Talat have struggled against India’s spinners. Once more, Sunday could be determined by the guile of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. Their new-ball surge holds the lone hope for Pakistan.
An early breakdown of India’s top order by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf could result in a low-scoring struggle. However, Shaheen and Haris require allies, something Pakistan has sadly lacked, much like India’s over-reliance on Abhishek.
The result of Sunday’s match may be more memorable than the etiquette. There is just one acceptable outcome for India: a victory over Pakistan, regardless of how sly or not it turns out in the end.
Squads:
India: Surya Kumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (w/k), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (w/k), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim
