Ind vs Pak Asia Cup 2025 T20 Preview: Amid subdued build-up, India and Pakistan hope to deliver a classic Today Sports News

Countdowns to cricketing contests between India and Pakistan encompass a few constants. In the days and weeks leading up as the excitement swells to fever pitch, the rhetoric is ratcheted up. Raucous debates transpire on television and social media. Tickets, often at unreasonably high prices, sell like hot cakes. Individual match-ups are dissected. Jangling nerves suffuse the air.

By most estimates, however, the build-up to Sunday’s (September 14, 2025) contest in Group A of the Asia Cup hasn’t been quite as boisterous. Nothing is more revealing of the subdued surroundings than tickets still being up for grabs more than two weeks after they first went up for sale.

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The ostensible reason for a change in mood is the further deterioration of relations brought about by a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam in April. It has enraged Indian sentiments and prompted calls from some sections for an outright boycott of Pakistan.

Aside from geopolitical realities, the fact that clashes between the neighbours have decisively swung towards the blue corner is a factor. In 13 contests in the slam-bang affair, India has prevailed nine times. Since 2015, India has won eight of 10 face-offs in the 50-over genre too.

With the two teams proceeding in contrasting directions in terms of skill, resources and results, the lustre of this epic rivalry has eroded to a degree. While India boasts of some of the biggest stars in the game right now, Pakistan’s Salman Agha is leading a largely unheralded bunch that is very much figuring its way through the vagaries of the shortest format.

Far from a battle of equals this may hence be, but it doesn’t prevent Pakistan from springing a surprise in a format where all it takes is a moment of magic or madness for tables to turn. Imprinted in the memory bank for Pakistan will be its 10-wicket triumph in the 2021 T20 World Cup at the same venue, when Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan stayed unbeaten and steered their side home in a run chase of 152. For India, of course, it was just a blip.

Indian fan Arun Haryani (Indian Tricolour) and Jagdish Purswani (Pakistani Colour) strike a pose with Asia Cup Trophy and Brahmos Missiles ahead of the Asia Cup Cricket match between India and Pakistan in Dubai, in Ahmedabad on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Vijay Soneji

On Sunday, the encounter may boil down to the performance of the spin attacks. In their opening fixtures of the continental showpiece, they came to the fore. In India’s dismantling of the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Kuldeep Yadav struck four times while Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel chipped in with a wicket each. Similarly, Pakistan’s successful defence of 160 against Oman on Friday night was shaped by spinners Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem and Saim Ayub sharing six scalps.

Significant to the outcome will also be the approach of the batting units. In India’s case, the young batters allow their attacking instincts to take over without fear of retribution. Since the omissions of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I team, Pakistan has hoped to chart a similar path.

For the enthusiasm around this contest to pick up ahead of further meetings, the very best of these facets will have to be on display.