India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has dropped a big hint ahead of the high-stakes Asia Cup clash with Pakistan: the Men in Blue are sticking with their winning playing XI from the UAE match. This comes as fans gear up for the blockbuster India vs Pakistan showdown on Sunday in Dubai.
The rivalry between these two cricket powerhouses always steals the spotlight, especially since bilateral series have been off the table since 2013 due to tense relations. This time, the match faces extra buzz and some backlash from politics and supporters, following the Pahalgam terror attack in April and India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-backed threats.
In their opener against UAE on Wednesday, India went with a spin-heavy attack that clicked big time. Jasprit Bumrah was the lone specialist pacer, backed by all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy led the charge, with Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma chipping in. Arshdeep Singh sat out, but Kuldeep stole the show, grabbing 4 wickets for just 7 runs in a dominant nine-wicket win.
During Thursday’s pre-match press conference, Ten Doeschate kept it straightforward. “We didn’t learn much from that first game or the other matches at the venue,” he said. “The wickets feel different from the Champions Trophy, but our combo worked well. No big changes coming.”
He highlighted India’s flexible batting lineup, especially with versatile stars like Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya. “These guys can bat anywhere—top order or lower down. That’s key when conditions get tricky, like we expect against Pakistan. It gives us a real edge.”
Ten Doeschate didn’t shy away from the favorites tag either. India boasts an unbeatable T20I streak—no series losses since their undefeated T20 World Cup triumph last year, with just two defeats overall. “Our form is incredible, and we’re consistent,” he admitted. “But cricket’s about executing on the day. We’ll focus on those 120 balls batting and 120 bowling. The team that nails all 240 will win.”
Pakistan, meanwhile, kicked off with a solid 93-run victory over Oman on Friday. Both sides are fired up, but India’s recent dominance in T20 cricket makes them the team to beat in this Asia Cup thriller.
India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (C), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.
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