In the high-stakes Asia Cup final at Dubai International Stadium, India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to bowl first against rivals Pakistan on Sunday. The match promises an intense India vs Pakistan showdown, with both teams vying for the title in front of a packed crowd.
India faces a setback without all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who’s sidelined by a minor injury from their recent Super Over victory over Sri Lanka. Rinku Singh steps in to replace him. During that Sri Lanka game, Hardik only bowled one over before cramps hit both him and his teammate. India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel had shared an update, saying they would check on Hardik overnight and decide in the morning.
This Asia Cup final adds to a storied rivalry. Across 12 finals in various formats, Pakistan holds an 8-4 edge over India. Their last title clash was the 2017 Champions Trophy final, where Pakistan crushed India by 180 runs. But in this tournament, India has turned the tables, successfully chasing down Pakistan’s totals in both group-stage meetings. India enters unbeaten, while Pakistan has two losses—both to India.
After the toss, Suryakumar explained his call to former coach Ravi Shastri. “We’ll bowl first. The pitch looks solid, and it improves under the lights,” he said. “We’ve batted well upfront, but we want to chase today. The groundsmen here have done amazing work. Our cricket over the last five or six games has been sharp. Sadly, Hardik’s out with that niggle, so Bumrah, Dube, and Rinku join the side.”
Pakistan’s stand-in captain Salman Agha chatted with ex-pacer Waqar Younis at the toss and sounded upbeat. “We’re thrilled to bat first,” he noted. “Everyone’s excited for this India vs Pakistan battle. We haven’t played a flawless game yet, but hopefully today. Same lineup as before. These pitches have been consistent since we’ve been here.”
India’s playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (w), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan’s playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
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