Pakistan’s cricket team is plotting a smart strategy to tackle India’s tricky spinners in their crucial Asia Cup Super Fours clash in Dubai on Sunday. Captain Salman Ali Agha and white-ball coach Mike Hesson lead the charge, drawing lessons from last week’s heavy 7-wicket loss to India at the same venue.
That group-stage defeat still stings for Pakistan. India’s spin wizard Kuldeep Yadav tore through their batting lineup, grabbing 3 wickets for just 18 runs and dismissing Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Hasan Nawaz. Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy chipped in with three more wickets, leaving Pakistan reeling as they crumbled to 127 for 9 after choosing to bat first. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav then steered India home with a stylish 47 not out, finishing the chase with 25 balls left.
To flip the script this time, Pakistan’s coaches are shaking up the lineup. All-rounder Faheem Ashraf looks set for a return after sitting out the UAE game. He brings middle-order punch but had a quiet run earlier with scores of 8 off 4 and 11 off 14. Fast-bowling all-rounder Hussain Talat could make his Asia Cup debut, while Khushdil Shah—who stepped in against UAE—and young batter Hassan Nawaz might sit this one out.
The off-field tension from the last India-Pakistan showdown adds extra spice. India skipped the post-match handshake, so Pakistan boycotted the presentation. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) blamed match referee Andy Pycroft and demanded his removal. Things escalated: The International Cricket Council (ICC) considered boycotting Pakistan’s must-win UAE match, and pre-match press conferences got canceled. Pakistan arrived late to the stadium, delaying that game by an hour, and even shared a video of their tense meeting with Pycroft, sparking backlash.
The drama lingers. Pakistan skipped another presser on Saturday before facing India again, and Pycroft remains the referee. Amid the handshake controversy and referee friction, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi—who also heads the Asian Cricket Council—surprised the team by visiting their training at the ICC Academy. He chatted briefly with players, then had a lively, gesture-filled talk with Hesson, seeming to stress key points.
Pakistan’s likely playing XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Mohammad Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed. Fans can’t wait to see if this revamped squad can counter India’s spin magic in this high-stakes Asia Cup rivalry.
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