3 Player Battles To Watch Out For in Asia Cup

We are just a few nights away from the most anticipated and the marquee clash of the Asia Cup 2025: IND vs PAK.

India began their journey in the continental tournament this year with a thumping nine-wicket win over the UAE, a proper bashing of the underdogs. Pakistan are expected to beat Oman as well when they open their campaign on Friday before clashing with the Suryakumar Yadav-led unit on Sunday in Dubai.

The Men In Blue hold a considerable edge over their archrivals in the Asia Cup. In the history of the Asia Cup, which dates back to 1984, India have beaten Pakistan in 10 matches and suffered defeat six times.

The on-field history, though, wouldn’t matter much when these two sides take the field on Sunday, as both teams are brimming with several new faces.

Let us check out some of the spicy player battles that we could encounter in the IND vs PAK clash.

IND vs PAK: 3 Player Battles To Watch Out For in Asia Cup

Jasprit Bumrah vs Saim Ayub

Jasprit Bumrah began his tournament with a cracking delivery to Alishan Sharafu, UAE’s top scorer in the innings, and uprooted the off-stump. For a rare time, Bumrah bowled three overs in the powerplay, but that is likely to change in the IND vs PAK clash.

There, he will come up against the exuberant Saim Ayub. Pakistan have moved on from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, both pedestrian when it came to intent and strike rate, and have given opportunities to young and aggressive Ayub, who has two scores in the 60s in his last 10 outings.

The left-hander can be inconsistent, but he could leave a huge dent in India’s plans in the powerplay if he gets going. For that, he will have to survive Bumrah.

Abhishek Sharma vs Shaheen Afridi

The days of the Indian top-order batsmen fretting over left-arm pacers like Shaheen Afridi are long gone. Now, it’s ultra-aggressive openers like Abhishek Sharma who are boldly looking to take anyone down.

Abhishek blasted a six on the first ball against UAE and went on to smash 30 runs off 16 balls. The southpaw is the No. 1 ranked T20I batsman in the world, having notched up a century against England in his last series.

The Abhishek vs Shaheen battle will set the tone for the powerplay during India’s batting innings, and it promises to be a thrilling one.

Hardik Pandya vs Mohammad Nawaz

One of the key members of Pakistan’s T20I success in the new regime under Mike Hesson has been left-arm spinning all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz. He has snared 20 scalps in 11 T20Is in 2025 at an average of 10.9 and an economy of 6.47. In the tri-series final against Afghanistan a few days ago, he bagged a five-for, including a hat-trick.

Nawaz could prove to be challenging to hit against for the Indian middle order on the Dubai pitch. But equally challenging for the bowler could be India’s rock in the middle order—Hardik Pandya. Pandya is among the fiercest bashers of spinners in world cricket, and he did it against Nawaz too in the 2022 Asia Cup.

The Pandya vs Nawaz battle, should it take place, may just prove to be decisive in the IND vs PAK on Sunday.

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