The highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025 clash between India and Pakistan is set to take place on September 14 in Dubai. Ahead of this high-stakes encounter, Pakistan's legendary cricketer Wasim Akram has urged both teams to "forget about everything other than cricket" and simply enjoy the game.
The match is particularly significant as it marks the first time the two nations will compete on the cricket field since their military conflict four months ago, which had strained relations to their lowest point in decades. Despite calls to boycott the match, India has chosen to participate, acknowledging the importance of the sporting rivalry.
Akram, a veteran of numerous high-pressure matches against India, emphasized the need for players to remain disciplined and focused. "Enjoy, it's a game of cricket," Akram told AFP. "Forget about everything other than cricket. One team will win, and one team will lose. Just enjoy the moment if you win the game. Pressure will come, enjoy that and show discipline because this is just a game. It's for both teams and for both sets of fans." He recalled how he thrived in such pressure situations during his 19-year international career, encouraging the players to embrace the challenge.
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium is expected to be packed with a full house of 25,000 fans, eager to witness the intense rivalry. This match could potentially be the first of three high-octane meetings between the two countries in the T20 tournament, with further encounters possible in the Super Four stage and the final.
Akram advised the relatively inexperienced Pakistan team to focus on the bigger picture and not get overwhelmed by the hype surrounding the match against T20 world champions and arch-rivals India. "Pakistan have a chance as they won a tri-series last week," Akram said, referring to a T20 series with Afghanistan and the UAE. "They should not think that we just need to win against India, think of winning the Asia Cup. You can lose to a big team but even then, stand up and play well in the tournament."
While acknowledging India's strong form and recent victories, Akram believes Pakistan has the potential to challenge them. He highlighted the confidence Pakistan gained from their recent tri-series win. However, he also expressed concerns about Pakistan's batting order and bowling depth. Specifically, Akram pointed out the threat posed by India's spin attack, particularly Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, who he believes could disrupt Pakistan's middle order. During India's dominant performance against UAE, Kuldeep took 4 wickets for 7 runs in 2.1 overs, while Varun claimed a wicket conceding only 4 runs in 2 overs. He praised India's bowling attack and the system that supports their sustained excellence.
The match is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM IST on Sunday in Dubai. Cricket enthusiasts can watch the live telecast on the Sony Sports Network and stream it on the SonyLIV app and website in India.
India enters the contest as favorites, having won 10 of the 13 T20I matches played between the two sides. However, Pakistan's recent victory against Oman by 93 runs has boosted their confidence.
