(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Former England spinner Monty Panesar is urging India to stay sharp and not get too cocky ahead of their clash with Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final. The high-stakes cricket showdown kicks off Sunday at Dubai International Stadium, where the two rivals will battle for the trophy.
This marks the third straight Sunday that India and Pakistan face off in the tournament. But this time, it’s winner-takes-all—no second chances for the loser. India enters as the clear favorite on paper, thanks to skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his team’s strong run so far. They’ve chased down targets with ease in the previous two matches against Pakistan, building a big edge.
Still, Panesar warns it won’t be a walk in the park. Pakistan has nothing to lose, and that could spark their best performance yet. He points to their shocking 180-run win over India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final as a reminder of what they’re capable of. “Pakistan is a dangerous team. They have got nothing to lose. While playing in the final, they could play their best game of cricket, where India has performed the best throughout the tournament. They need to be really mindful,” Panesar told in an exclusive chat.
Even though Pakistan isn’t the powerhouse it once was, Panesar says they can still upset the world champions if India slips up. “Pakistan is probably not as strong as it used to be, but on its day, it could still beat India. They have to be careful not to become too complacent about their performances,” he added.
India’s squad features Suryakumar Yadav (captain), 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, and Rinku Singh.
Pakistan’s lineup includes Salman Ali Agha (captain), 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, and Sufyan Moqim.
Cricket fans worldwide are buzzing about this India vs Pakistan final—will the Men in Blue seal the deal, or will the Men in Green pull off another surprise?
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