For the very first time in Asia Cup history, arch-rivals India and Pakistan will lock horns in the grand finale.
Broadcasters couldn’t have asked for more, with three high-voltage clashes between the two sides packed into just three weeks. Despite the off-field noise, calls for boycotts, and political undertones, this Indo-Pak final is exactly the blockbuster many had hoped for.
India march into the title clash unbeaten, though not without concerns. Their middle and lower order has been inconsistent, leaving much of the scoring burden on Abhishek Sharma, the tournament’s standout performer.
Jasprit Bumrah hasn’t quite found rhythm yet, and the death bowling has often gone wayward.
Pakistan, on the other hand, had a shaky start but seem to have struck the right balance in recent outings. Shaheen Afridi looks back in prime form, and the team has begun to click collectively.
One major talking point for India is balance. Shivam Dube has held his spot, adding batting depth, but in a final against Pakistan, what matters more is control at the death. That’s where Arshdeep Singh’s role becomes crucial. His comeback spell against Sri Lanka showed his ability to nail yorkers and execute wide lines under pressure, a skill India desperately needs after conceding over 11 runs an over in the last five overs this tournament.
With Arshdeep partnering Bumrah, India would have two specialists for crunch overs, allowing Hardik Pandya to operate in the middle.
Combined with the spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel, India have plenty of bowling options. Against a Pakistani batting unit that showed resilience in the last clash, India’s best bet is to bank on proven death bowlers rather than an extra floater whose batting has hardly been called upon.
India predicted playing XI in Asia Cup Final: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
Pakistan predicted playing XI in Asia Cup Final: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (captain), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
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