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Asia cricket Cup 2025: All news in one glance,Asia Cup 2025: PAK beat Bdesh

26/09/2025

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Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 11 runs on Thursday in a must-win Super Fours match to reach the Asia Cup 2025 final, where they are set to face arch-rivals India.

Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf took three wickets each to help Pakistan defend a 136-run target at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The victory propelled Pakistan into the final, where they will be locking horns with arch-rivals India for the first time in the continental tournament’s history.

Chasing a modest 136-run target, Bangladesh could accumulate 124/9 in their allotted 20 overs despite Shamim Hossain’s gutsy 30-run knock.

Bangladesh had a dismal start to the pursuit as Shaheen dismissed Parvez Hossain Emon for a duck on the fifth delivery of the first over.

His opening partner, Saif Hassan (18), then shared a one-sided 22-run partnership with Towhid Hridoy (five) before both perished in quick succession as Bangladesh slipped to 29/3 in 5.1 overs.

Mahedi Hasan (11) and Nurul Hasan then attempted to anchor the run chase as they batted cautiously to add 15 runs for the fourth wicket until Mohammad Nawaz got rid of the former in the eighth over.

Shamim, who walked out to bat at number six, took the reins of Bangladesh’s pursuit and kept them in the hunt until falling victim to Shaheen in the 17th over.

He remained the top-scorer for Bangladesh with a gutsy 30 off 25 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

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Shaheen Shah Afridi struck in the opening over as Bangladesh began their 136-run chase in a must-win Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Pakistan managed to post a modest target of 136 runs for Bangladesh.

Taskin Ahmed returned economical bowling figures of 3/28 and helped Bangladesh curtail Pakistan to a below-par total in the high-stakes match.

Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Jaker Ali’s decision to field first paid dividends as his team’s bowling unit restricted Pakistan to 135/8 in 20 overs.

Pakistan got off to a disastrous start to their innings as they lost in-form opener Sahibzada Farhan (four) and struggling Saim Ayub (zero) in the first two overs, with just five runs on the board.

Following the early stutter, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha joined experienced opener Fakhar Zaman in the middle to stabilise the innings, but the duo could add 24 to the total as the latter was dismissed by Rishad Hossain in the seventh over.

Rishad struck again in his next over, dismissing Pakistan’s last match hero Hussain Talat (three) and bringing the total down to 33/4 in 8.1 overs.

Pakistan captain Agha and wicketkeeper batter Haris then shared a brief 16-run partnership until Mustafizur Rahman got the former caught behind in the 11th over with just 49 runs on the board. Agha scored a cautious 19 off 23 deliveries, featuring two fours.

With the scoreboard reading 49/5 in 10.5 overs, Shaheen Shah Afridi was promoted and sent into bat at number seven ahead of regular all-rounders Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf in a bid to lift the score.

The left-handed batter smashed two sixes on his way to a 13-ball 19 and fell to Taskin Ahmed in the 14th over.

Pakistan’s biggest partnership came for the seventh wicket when Haris and Nawaz added 38 runs in 24 balls, with the former leading the charge.

Haris, who appeared to have settled down, was eventually caught and bowled by Mahedi Hasan in the 18th over and walked back after top-scoring for Pakistan with a gutsy 31 off 23 deliveries with the help of three fours and a six.

Nawaz followed suit in the next over as he skied one off Taskin Ahmed and was brilliantly caught by Parvez Hossain Emon after scoring 25 off 15 deliveries, comprising two sixes and a four.

Taskin was the standout bowler for Bangladesh, taking three wickets for just 28 runs in his four overs, followed by Mahedi Hasan and Rishad with two each, while Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with one.

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Asia Cup 2025: Bangladesh win toss, opt to field first against Pakistan

Bangladesh elected to field first after winning the toss against Pakistan in a must-win Super Fours match for both teams to advance to the Asia Cup 2025 final.

Playing XIs
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed.

Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali(w/c), Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahman.

Head-to-head
Pakistan and Bangladesh have come face-to-face 25 times in T20Is, with the Green Shirts dominating the head-to-head record with 20 victories, compared to the Tigers’ five.

The two recently hosted each other in a three-match each T20I series, with both winning their home assignments.

Pakistan beat Bangladesh 3-0 in Lahore in May-June, while Bangladesh prevailed 2-1 in Mirpur in July.

Matches: 25
Pakistan: 20
Bangladesh: 5
Form Guide
The two teams enter the fixture with similar momentum in their favour as they both have two defeats in their last five matches, while one each in the ongoing Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025.

Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka in their Super Four campaign opener before suffering 41-run thrashing at the hands of India.

Pakistan, on the other hand, had a forgetful start to their Super Four campaign as they succumbed to a six-wicket defeat against arch-rivals India but bounced back with a five-wicket triumph over defending champions Sri Lanka.

Pakistan: W, L, W, L, W (most recent first)

Bangladesh: L, W, W, L, W

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Pakistan and Bangladesh are set to lock horns in the second-last match of the Super Four stage of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup today (Thursday) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, as the clash has now taken the shape of a virtual semi-final.

The winner of today’s fixture will face India in the grand finale of the tournament on Sunday. In the Super Four, Pakistan and Bangladesh both have defeated Sri Lanka but lost to India.

Despite sealing the Asia Cup 2025 final spot, India will take on Sri Lanka, who have been eliminated, in their last Super Four match on Friday.

If Pakistan progress to the final, it will mark the third encounter between the arch-rivals, with India having won the first two. Although Pakistan and India have reached the Asia Cup finals several times, they have never met each other.

Meanwhile, Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman, who sustained a gruelling blow to his head while facing Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera, has been declared fit for the Bangladesh game.

Chameera bowled a quick bouncer that went over Fakhar’s bat and gloves before crashing into his helmet.

As per the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) safety measures, Pakistan’s physio rushed to the field and conducted a concussion test on Fakhar, who initially looked a little dazed, but fortunately, after brief medical attention, resumed his innings.

Addressing a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Pakistani pacer Shaheen Afridi highlighted Pakistan’s approach and mindset for the match against Bangladesh, stressing the importance of a strong start, consistency throughout the game, and focusing fully on each challenge.

Bangladesh is a good team and has been playing quite well recently. Obviously, whenever we play matches against such teams, we need to deliver the first punch ourselves and not give them any opportunity,” he said.

“Yes, we have to play good cricket at all three stages, and after that, there’s the next game. Our focus is on the Bangladesh game and how to approach it,” he added.

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India reached the Asia Cup 2025 final by thumping Bangladesh in the Super Fours clash at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, on Wednesday.

The victory propelled India into the final, while also marking the end of Sri Lanka’s campaign in the continental tournament.

Set to chase 169, Bangladesh’s batting unit unfolded on a meagre 127 in 19.3 overs despite opening batter Saif Hassan’s gutsy half-century.

The right-handed opener remained the top-scorer with 69 off 51 deliveries, laced with five sixes and five fours.

Saif was also involved in an important 42-run partnership for the second wicket with top-order batter Parvez Hossain Emon, who scored 21 off 19 deliveries with the help of two fours and a six.

Besides them, the rest of the Bangladesh batters could not amass double figures against a disciplined India’s bowling attack, led by Kuldeep Yadav, who picked up three wickets for 18 runs in his four overs.

The left-arm spinner was supported by Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, who made two scalps each, while Axar Patel and Tilak Varma chipped in with one apiece.

Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Jaker Ali’s decision to put India into bat backfired as the 2016 champions racked up 168/6 in their 20 overs.

India’s in-form opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill gave them a flying start by putting together 77 runs inside seven overs until Rishad Hossain provided Bangladesh with a much-needed breakthrough by getting rid of the latter.

Gill remained a notable contributor to India’s total with a 19-ball 29, comprising two fours and a six.

Abhishek was then involved in brief partnerships with Shivam Dube (two) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (five) before eventually getting run out in the 12th over. He walked back after top-scoring for India with 75 off 37 deliveries, studded with five sixes and six fours.

Following his dismissal, India lost two more wickets in quick succession and were consequently reduced to 129/5 in 14.3 overs before Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel launched a recovery.

The duo put together 39 runs for the sixth wicket until Mohammad Saifuddin got Pandya caught on the final delivery of the innings. The all-rounder contributed with 38 off 29 deliveries, laced with four fours and a six.

Patel, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with a scratchy 10 off 15 deliveries.

Rishad was the standout bowler for Bangladesh, taking two wickets for 27 runs in his three overs, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman and Saifuddin chipped in with one apiece.

It is pertinent to mention that despite sealing the Asia Cup 2025 final spot, India will take on Sri Lanka in their last Super Four match on Friday.

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Pakistan grabbed a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Tuesday in the crucial Super Fours match to keep hopes alive for advancing to the Asia Cup 2025 final.

Chasing a modest 134-run target on a challenging surface and testing conditions here, the Green Shirts eventually knocked the winning runs for the loss of five wickets and 12 balls to spare.

Pakistan got off to a decent start to the pursuit as their opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman yielded 45 runs inside the batting powerplay before both fell victim to Maheesh Theekshana in the sixth over.

Farhan scored 24 off 15 deliveries with the help of two sixes and a four, while Fakhar made a 19-ball 17.

Wanindu Hasaranga further added to Pakistan’s woes by dismissing Saim Ayub and captain Salman Ali Agha in consecutive overs, bringing the total down to 57/4 in 8.1 overs.

Wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris and Hussain Talat briefly stabilised the run chase with their 23-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but Dushmantha Chameera cleaned up the former in the 12th over to dent their recovery.

With the scoreboard reading 80/5 in 11.1 overs and a further 58 required off 53 deliveries, Mohammad Nawaz joined Talat, and the duo batted sensibly under pressure to steer their side over the line unbeaten.

Mohammad Nawaz top-scored for Pakistan with an unbeaten 38 off 24 deliveries, studded with three sixes and as many fours, while Talat made 32 not out from 30 balls, comprising four fours.

For Sri Lanka, Theekshana and Hasaranga bagged two wickets each, while Chameera could claim one.

Put into bat first, the defending champions managed to accumulate 133/8 in their allotted 20 overs despite Kamindu Mendis’s half-century.

Sri Lanka got off to a shaky start to their innings as Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed both openers – Kusal Mendis (zero) and Pathum Nissanka (eight) – in his first two overs.

The 2022 champions, however, were in a comfortable position by the end of the batting powerplay as they had piled up 53 runs despite losing another wicket.

But Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to bring Hussain Talat in pushed Sri Lanka to the back foot as the all-rounder struck twice in his first over, bringing the total down to 58/5 in 7.3 overs.

Following the slump, star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga (15) joined Kamindu in the middle for a cautious 22-run partnership until getting cleaned up by Abrar Ahmed in the 13th over.

Kamindu, on the other hand, stood his ground firm and went on to score a fighting half-century for Sri Lanka. He was dismissed by Shaheen in the penultimate over, soon after he amassed the milestone.

The left-handed batter top-scored for Sri Lanka with a valiant 50 off 44 deliveries, smashing three fours and two sixes.

Shaheen was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking three wickets for just 28 runs in his four overs, followed by Haris Rauf and Talat with two each, while Abrar chipped in with one.

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Sri Lanka set a modest target of 134 runs for Pakistan in the must-win Asia Cup 2025’s Super Fours match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.

Put into bat first, the defending champions managed to accumulate 133-8 in their allotted 20 overs despite Kamindu Mendis’s half-century.

Sri Lanka got off to a shaky start to their innings as Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed both openers — Kusal Mendis (zero) and Pathum Nissanka (eight) — in his first two overs.

The 2022 champions, however, were in a comfortable position by the end of the batting powerplay as they had piled up 53 runs despite losing another wicket.

Following the slump, star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga (15) joined Kamindu in the middle for a cautious 22-run partnership until getting cleaned up by Abrar Ahmed in the 13th over.

Kamindu, on the other hand, stood his ground firm and went on to score a fighting half-century for Sri Lanka. He was dismissed by Shaheen in the penultimate over, soon after he amassed the milestone.

The left-handed batter top-scored for Sri Lanka with a valiant 50 off 44 deliveries, smashing three fours and two sixes.

Shaheen was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking three wickets for just 28 runs in his four overs, followed by Haris Rauf and Talat with two each, while Abrar chipped in with one.

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Pakistan elected to bowl first after winning the toss against Sri Lanka in their second encounter of the Asia Cup 2025’s Super Fours phase at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.

Playing XIs
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha(c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka(c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara

Head-to-head
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have come face-to-face 23 times in T20Is, with Pakistan leading the head-to-head record with 13 victories, while Sri Lanka triumphed on 10 occasions.

In the T20 format of the Men’s Asia Cup T20, however, Sri Lanka boast a dominant record with two victories in three meetings against Pakistan, including their triumph in the final of the 2022 edition of the continental tournament.

Whereas, in the last five encounters against Pakistan in the shortest format, Sri Lanka are unbeaten.

Matches: 23
Pakistan: 13
Sri Lanka: 10
Form Guide
The two teams enter the all-important fixture with similar momentum as they are coming off a defeat in their respective opening matches of the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four stage.

Sri Lanka succumbed to a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Bangladesh on Saturday, while Pakistan suffered a six-wicket defeat against fierce rivals India the following day.

Pakistan are at the bottom of the Super Four standings due to an inferior net run rate to third-placed Sri Lanka.

Pakistan: L, W, L, W, W (most recent first)

Sri Lanka: L, W, W, W, W

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Pakistan and Sri Lanka are set to lock horns in a crucial Super-Four match of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 today (Tuesday) at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with both teams looking for their first win in the tournament’s second stage.

In their respective first matches of the Super-Four, the Salman Agha-led side was defeated by arch-rival India, while Sri Lanka lost to Bangladesh.

For Pakistan, its a must win match to survive in the tournament after two major defeats, both against arch-rivals India, in the group stage and Super Four.

The national side are likely to make changes for today’s match, with selectors expected to recall young batter Hassan Nawaz and possibly draft in an additional seamer to sharpen their bowling attack, The News reported.

Pakistan are at the bottom of the Super Four standings due to an inferior net run rate to third-placed Sri Lanka.

On the contrary, the 2016 champions, India, sit at the top due to a superior net run rate than Bangladesh, as both teams have two points each in one match.

Qualification scenario
Pakistan remain in contention for the Asia Cup 2025 final, but their path is uncertain and could depend heavily on net run rate (NRR). Even two wins from their remaining fixtures may not be enough, while in some scenarios a single victory could suffice.

If India sweep all three Super Four matches, and Pakistan defeat Bangladesh but lose to Sri Lanka, then India advance with three wins and the other teams finish level on one each — leaving NRR to decide the second finalist.

Another possibility sees Pakistan beating both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, India defeating Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh upsetting India. In that case, three teams would end with two wins apiece, again pushing qualification to NRR.

If both Pakistan and India were to win all of their remaining fixtures, they would make it to the final to be played on September 26. In this case, India would have three wins, Pakistan two, Bangladesh one and Sri Lanka none, providing the most straightforward path to the final.

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Pakistan’s squad for the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 has arrived in Abu Dhabi ahead of their crucial Super Four match against Sri Lanka, scheduled to be played on September 22.

Abu Dhabi is nearly a two-hour drive from Dubai, where the Pakistan team is based, and the squad will return to their hotel in Dubai Marina after the match.

The players are taking a complete day of rest today to ensure they are fully recharged and ready for the high-stakes encounter.

The upcoming Super Four fixture is crucial for both Pakistan and Sri Lanka to push for the final qualification, as the two teams suffered defeats in their respective opening matches.

Sri Lanka succumbed to a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Bangladesh on Saturday, while Pakistan suffered a six-wicket defeat against fierce rivals India the following day.

Pakistan are at the bottom of the Super Four standings due to an inferior net run rate to third-placed Sri Lanka.

On the contrary, the 2016 champions, India, sit at the top due to a superior net run rate than Bangladesh, as both teams have two points each in one match.

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Continuing winning streak, India thumped Oman by 21 runs in their third and final group match of the Asia Cup 2025 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Friday.

Chasing a daunting 189-run target, Oman could accumulate 167 in their allotted 20 overs despite losing only four wickets.

Their opening pair of skipper Jatinder Singh and Kaleem scripted a decent start to the pursuit by putting together 56 runs.

Kuldeep Yadav drew the much-needed breakthrough for India in the ninth over by bowling Singh, who made a cautious 32 off 33 deliveries.

Kaleem was then joined by Mirza in the middle, and the duo batted valiantly against a strong Indian bowling attack to add 93 runs for the second wicket.

All-rounder Harshit Rana eventually broke the threatening partnership in the 18th over when he got Kaleem caught at deep fine leg by Hardik Pandya.

Kaleem remained the top-scorer for Oman with a 46-ball 64, studded with seven fours and two sixes.

Mirza followed suit in the next over when he handed a straightforward catch to substitute fielder Rinku Singh off Hardik Pandya and walked back after scoring 51 off 33 deliveries, featuring five fours and two sixes.

With his dismissal, the required equation soared to 35 required off seven deliveries and Oman could score 13 and thus fell short despite a valiant effort.

For India, Kuldeep, Harshit, Pandya and Arshdeep Singh picked up one wicket apiece.

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India set a 189-run target for Oman in the 12th match of the Asia Cup 2025 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Friday.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s decision to bat first paid dividends as his team’s batting unit yielded 188/8 in 20 overs.

The 2016 champions, however, got off to a contrasting start to their innings, as vice-captain Shubman Gill (five) was cleaned up by Shah Faisal in the second over with just six runs on the board.

Following the early setback, Samson, promoted up the order, joined Abhishek Sharma for a quickfire 66-run partnership for the second wicket, which culminated with the opener’s dismissal in the eighth over.

Sharma smashed five fours and two sixes on his way to a 15-ball 38.

India lost another wicket in the eighth over as Hardik Pandya (one) got run out by Jiten Ramanandi, who managed to deflect the ball onto the stumps during his follow-through.

Samson then knitted an important 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Axar Patel, who contributed with a 13-ball 26 before falling victim to Aamir Kaleem in the 12th over.

Kaleem struck again in his next over, dismissing Shivam Dube (five), resulting in India slipping to 130/5 in 13.2 overs.

Meanwhile, Samson, supported by Tilak Varma, ensured to keep the momentum in India’s favour as the duo added 41 runs for the sixth wicket before both fell in successive overs.

Samson remained the top-scorer for India with 56 off 45 deliveries, studded with three sixes and as many fours, while Varma made an 18-ball 29 with the help of two sixes and a four.

Lower-order batter Harshit Rana added valuable runs for India in the final over with an unbeaten 13 off just eight deliveries.

For Oman, Faisal, Kaleem and Faisal picked up two wickets each.

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Sri Lanka reach Asia Cup’s Super Four after defeating Afghanistan

Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by six wickets courtesy of Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten half-century and qualified for the Super Four of the Asia Cup 2025 following their splendid victory at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.

Set to chase 170, Sri Lanka needed 101 to book their spot in the Super Four, which they comfortably amassed on the fourth delivery of the 13th over.

The defending champions eventually chased down the daunting target for the loss of four wickets and eight balls to spare, which propelled Bangladesh into the next stage as Afghanistan’s defeat meant the Tigers finished second in Group B standings.

Leading the way for Sri Lanka was opening batter Kusal Mendis, who carried his bat all the way through and returned unbeaten after top-scoring with 74 off 52 deliveries, studded with 10 fours.

He was amply supported by Kusal Perera and Kamindu Mendis, who scored 28 and an unbeaten 26 respectively.

For Afghanistan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman could pick up a wicket apiece.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan’s decision to bat first eventually proved beneficial as his team’s batting unit yielded 169/8 in their allotted 20 overs despite Nuwan Thushara’s four-wicket haul.

Afghanistan, however, got off to a brief flying start to their innings as their opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (14) and Sediqullah Atal took the total to 26/0 in two overs before Thushara dismissed the former and all-rounder Karim Janat (one) in the next over.

The right-arm pacer struck again in his next over to get rid of Atal (18), reducing Afghanistan to 40/3 in 4.5 overs.

Following the early stutter, Ibrahim Zadran attempted to launch recovery but lacked support from the other end as Darwish Rasooli (nine) and Azmatullah Omarzai (six) perished after making meagre contributions.

The right-handed batter eventually walked back in the 13th over after scoring a scratchy 24 off 27 deliveries, featuring only one boundary.

His dismissal had reduced Afghanistan to 79/6 before the experienced all-round duo of Rashid and Nabi lifted the total.

Rashid and Nabi shared a crucial 35-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which culminated with the former’s dismissal on the first delivery of the 18th over. The Afghanistan captain scored 24 off 23 deliveries with the help of two fours and a six.

Nabi, on the other hand, stood his ground firm until the final delivery of the innings and top-scored with a swashbuckling 60 off 22 deliveries, studded with two fours and six sixes, out of which five came in the last over, bowled by Dunith Wellalage.

Thushara was the standout bowler for Sri Lanka, taking four wickets for just 18 runs in his four overs, while Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera and Wellalage made one scalp apiece.

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Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first against Afghanistan in the 9th match of the Asia Cup 2025 at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.

Playing XIs
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Saif Hassan, Litton Das(w/c), Towhid Hridoy, Nasum Ahmed, Nurul Hasan, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed

Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan(c), Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Head-to-head
Afghanistan and Bangladesh have come face-to-face 12 times in T20Is, with the former boasting a dominant head-to-head record with seven victories, while the Tigers emerged victorious on five occasions.

Their most recent meeting came during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Kingstown, where Afghanistan registered a narrow eight-run victory.

Matches: 12
Afghanistan: 7
Bangladesh: 5
Form Guide
The two teams enter the all-important Group B fixture with contrasting momentum in their favour as Bangladesh are coming off a seven-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in their second match of the Asia Cup 2025, while Afghanistan thrashed Hong Kong by 94 runs in their solitary game of the ongoing continental tournament.

However, both teams have just one defeat in their last five completed T20Is.

Afghanistan: W, L, W, W, W (most recent first)

Bangladesh: L, W, NR, W, W

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Skipper Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu struck attacking half-centuries to lead United Arab Emirates to a thumping 42-run win over Oman in the Asia Cup on Monday.

Waseem, who hit 69, and Sharafu, who made 51, put on 88 runs for the opening wicket to guide hosts UAE to a challenging 172-5 in Abu Dhabi.

The home bowlers then combined to dismiss Oman for 130 in 18.4 overs for their first win in this edition of the regional tournament played in the T20 format.

Medium-pace bowler Junaid Siddique stood out with figures of 4-23. Haider Ali and Muhammad Jawadullah took two wickets each.

The batters had set up victory. Waseem and Sharafu started cautiously but soon took the attack to the opposition with a flurry of boundaries.

Sharafu fell for his 51 but Waseem kept up the charge and reached fifty with a six. The captain was run out in the final over.

UAE play Pakistan, who went down to tournament favourites India in a key match, next on Wednesday with the winner likely to move into the Super Four stage of the eight-nation event.

Oman were never in the chase and lost five wickets for 50 runs with captain and opener Jatinder Singh scoring 20 as they slumped to a second straight defeat.

Defending champions India, who won the previous edition played in a 50-overs format, lead the table in Group A with two wins in two matches are nearly through to the next stage.

Along with regional bragging rights, the competition will serve as a build-up towards the T20 World Cup in February-March in India and Sri Lanka.

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Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 37-ball 47, Abhishek Sharma’s fiery 13-ball 31 and Kuldeep Yadav’s (3-18) have powered India to seven-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the 6th match of the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Suryakumar sweep past India by clubbing a six off Sufiyan Muqeem. India completed equation with 25 balls remaining.

India’s innings

16th Over

Suryakumar Yadav completed the equation in the 16th over of Muqeem.

15th Over

Saim Ayub conceded 13 runs in the 15th over.

14th Over

Mohammad Nawaz conceded 10 runs in the 14th over.

13th Over

Saim Ayub conceded three runs and bagged a wicket of Tilak Varma on 28-ball 30.

12th Over

Mohammad Nawaz conceded four runs in the 12th over.

11th Over

Abrar Ahmed conceded five runs.

10th Over

Sufiyan Muqeem Muqeem conceded 14 runs.

9th Over

Abrar Ahmed has conceded three runs.

8th Over

Sufiyan Muqeem has conceded seven runs.

7th Over

Abrar Ahmed conceded three runs in the seventh over.

6th Over

Mohammad Nawaz bowled the sixth over and conceded 13 runs.

5th Over

Abrar Ahmed bowled a tidy over and conceded only five runs.

4th Over

Saim Ayub has removed Abhishek Sharma on 13-ball 31. Sharma left the crease after providing India with the good start. He clubbed four boundaries and two towering sixes. Ayub conceded nine runs.

3rd Over

Abhishek Sharma has continued to treat Shaheen Afridi with utter contempt. India plundered 11 runs of the third over.

2nd Over

Saim Ayub removed Shubman Gill on 5-ball 12, after the latter clubbed the off-spinner for two back-to-back boundaries.

1st Over

Abhishek Sharma has started off the proceedings with the boundary off the first bowl of Shaheen Shah Afridi. The boundary followed by sixer. But Shaheen ended over, conceding 12 runs.

Pakistan’s Innings

20th Over

In the 20th over, the first ball was missed. Shaheen Afridi then struck two sixes on the second and third deliveries. The fourth ball was missed, while doubles were scored on both the fifth and sixth deliveries.

19th Over

The 19th over began with a no-ball, yielding two runs. Boundaries were scored on the first and second legal deliveries. Singles followed on the third and fourth, while the fifth was missed. On the final ball, Sufyan Muqeem was bowled.

18th Over

During the 18th over, the first ball was missed. Afridi hit a six on the second, followed by a single on the third. Faheem was trapped lbw on the fourth. Singles came off the fifth and sixth balls.

17th Over

In the 17th over, Sahibzada Farhan was caught near the boundary on the first ball, having scored 40. The second and fourth deliveries were missed. Afridi struck a six on the third. A single was taken on the fifth, and the sixth ball was missed.

16th Over

The 16th over started with a single. The second and third balls were missed. Three runs were made on the fourth, followed by a single on the fifth. The sixth delivery was missed.

15th Over

In the 15th over, the first ball was missed. Singles were taken on the second and third deliveries. The fourth and fifth were missed, while Faheem hit a boundary on the final ball.

14th Over

Axar Patel delivered a testing spell as Pakistan struggled to build momentum in the late stages of their innings. At 13.6 overs, Patel bowled a short delivery, attempting to claim a wicket, but Sahibzada Farhan managed a confident pull through midwicket for four runs.

At 13.5 overs, Patel bowled a loopy ball on off stump at 86 kilometres per hour, which Farhan pushed towards cover without scoring. Farhan showed intent at 13.3 overs by advancing down the pitch but halted midway to defend a length ball aimed at the stumps. He flicked it towards long-off, scoring a single.

A close call came at 13.2 overs when Farhan faced an 84-kilometre-per-hour delivery slanting in on off stump. He stepped forward to punch the ball through mid-on, but the ball glanced his pad. The umpire gave him out, but Farhan reviewed successfully, as Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have hit the leg stump.

Meanwhile, Faheem scored singles at 13.1 and 13.4 overs by pushing the ball through the cover region and behind square on the back foot respectively.

Asad Khan, a passionate fan, questioned whether Pakistan’s target of 140 runs would suffice, highlighting the distance still to cover.

13th Over

Kuldeep Yadav continues to trouble Pakistan’s batsmen with his spin bowling, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries as the visitors struggle on a fresh pitch.

At 12.6 overs, Kuldeep finds the edge off Faheem Ashraf, who scores a single. Ashraf attempts to push a length ball that spun in, but it safely lands in the short-leg area. Kuldeep smiles with his hands on his head as Ashraf runs through. The ball was a length delivery spinning in sharply; Ashraf did not anticipate the googly, moving forward to play a straight bat.

On the hat-trick ball, Kuldeep sets a slip to increase pressure.

At 12.5 overs, Kuldeep dismisses Mohammad Nawaz lbw for a duck, his second wicket in two balls. Nawaz was pinned deep in his crease and failed to read the googly, missing a punch shot towards mid-on. Pakistan reviews the decision, but Hawk-Eye confirms the ball would have hit the leg stump. The visitors now face a swift collapse.

At 12.4 overs, Kuldeep strikes again, trapping Hasan Nawaz lbw for five runs. Nawaz attempted a slog sweep to clear square leg but failed to control the power. The ball bounced off the edge, and Axar Patel ran from first slip to leg gully to complete a neat catch.

Earlier at 12.3 overs, Kuldeep nearly caught Hasan Nawaz with a diving effort to his right, but the ball landed just below.

At 12.2 overs, Hasan Nawaz punches a ball off the back foot to cover as Kuldeep maintains a good length and line just outside off stump.

At 12.1 overs, Hasan Nawaz scores two runs from a short delivery on the leg side. The ball may have slipped from Kuldeep’s hand, as it came out slower than intended.

12th Over

Axar Patel bowls to Sahibzada Farhan, no run. The ball is slightly short on leg, clipped towards midwicket.

One run taken off Axar Patel’s delivery to Hasan Nawaz. The ball comes full just outside off stump. Nawaz inside-edges and pushes for a single. Samson moves to field but fails to gather cleanly.

Sahibzada Farhan scores one run off Axar Patel. The delivery lands on the pads and is guided through midwicket.

No run from Axar Patel to Sahibzada Farhan, who punches off the back foot straight to the bowler.

Axar Patel bowls a length ball just outside off to Farhan, who finds cover with a controlled punch. No run.

Six runs. Sahibzada Farhan takes the first ball of the over from Axar Patel over long-on for a six. Farhan advances down the pitch and strikes with semi-extended arms, clearing the boundary with a powerful hit. The shot carries high, despite the slight risk as the ball tends to bounce even from fuller lengths.

11th Over

Farhan slaps the ball from just outside off to long-on for a single.

A length ball on leg is delivered; Farhan punches it from the crease back to the bowler, appearing hurried rather than attempting a back-foot shot.

Nawaz faces a length ball drifting away at fourth stump and punches it off the back foot to long-on for a single.

A full delivery on leg stump is punched to long-on for a single.

A ball pitched up outside off stump is driven to long-on, yielding one run.

A yorker outside off stump, slightly loopy, is driven to long-off for a single.

10th Over

Top-edged sweep caught at deep square leg. Sweeping Axar always carries risk due to his direction and bounce. The batsman had to play off a length and against the turn. Agha went for the shot regardless, but the ball rose sharply. His 12-ball innings ends. Axar pumps his fist as India take a wicket just before drinks.

Spinner bowls a hard length at 90 km/h, just outside off stump. Shot punched straight back to the bowler.

Batsman cuts late through the gap. The ball is half-stopped at short third, with a slide to the left. Axar shows some displeasure at the fielding effort. The ball was a slightly short delivery at 88 km/h, just outside off stump.

Length ball aimed at the top of middle stump, quick and lively, chopped to backward point. Chopped off a length from the fourth ball, finds point.

Beaten on the sweep. Full ball on the fifth, Agha stays around off and tries to drag it square.

9th Over

In the ninth over, Varun kept up pressure with his legbreak deliveries. At 8.6 overs, a googly from beyond the perpendicular beat Sahibzada Farhan for no run. At 8.5 overs, Salman punched a front-foot single towards cover.

At 8.4 overs, Varun bowled a length ball that beat Salman’s attempted shot across the line, hitting the front pad just outside off stump. At 8.3 overs, a legbreak landing on fifth stump spun away slightly at 94 kph, beating Salman’s cover drive.

At 8.2 overs, Varun appealed for a big LBW against Salman. The umpire gave the decision out, but Pakistan’s Agha reviewed. The ball pitched on length around off stump, spinning away, with Salman’s front foot across the line. Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have hit leg stump. The review was successful for the second time for Pakistan.

At 8.1 overs, Sahibzada Farhan took a single off a shortish length ball, which bounced extra and denied him room for a flat-bat shot. He managed to find long-off.

8th Over

In the eighth over, Axar Patel delivered a length ball angling towards off stump. Salman dabbed late, sending the ball through the area where first slip would have stood, allowing a single to short third. At 7.5 overs, Patel bowled another length ball outside off, which Salman punched towards cover.

Earlier in the same over, at 7.4 overs, Fakhar Zaman fell to Axar Patel. After two early dot balls, Fakhar danced down and attempted a horizontal-bat shot at a length ball. Patel’s 94 kph delivery rushed him, finding the top edge. Tilak Varma caught the ball well at long-on. Fakhar scored 17 runs from 15 balls with three boundaries.

At 7.3 overs, Patel bowled a length ball around leg stump. The ball beat Fakhar’s paddle, possibly taking an edge. Farhan looked to play fine. In the same over, Sahibzada Farhan struck a single at 7.2 overs, driving through cover but inside edging to square leg. At 7.1 overs, Patel delivered a ball driven off the back foot to cover.

7th Over

A big boundary at cow corner; Axar chases from long-on to restrict the runs to two. An 85-kilometre-an-hour length ball spinning into the top of middle, Farhan stands deep in the crease and punches towards cover.

Pushes a length ball towards cover. The umpire speaks to Kuldeep about his follow-through landing. Fakhar charges and attempts a slog; the ball bounces to Hardik at long-on. The ball angles into leg without spin; Fakhar fails to create enough room, and the swing’s arc is not straight.

Chops the ball from just outside off towards point.

6th Over

Short ball on the leg side passes the hook shot. Bumrah finishes his spell. A yorker edged, a bump ball to the keeper. Samson stops it well, getting low to his left. The umpires check whether it was a catch but the appeal is weak.

The seam-up yorker arrives at 142 km/h. It lands around the fifth stump after Farhan attempts a cut behind square.

The crease chalk shows the ball landed. Bumrah rushes him this time. The pull is sliced but lands safely at midwicket, where a large in-field gap appears. Bumrah maintains a hard-length, off-stump line. The ball skids with little bounce. Farhan fails to adjust, likely would not have even if he tried.

An exceptional heave. Farhan twists his core to use the horizontal bat. Having cleared six over long-on earlier, he now hits one over backward square leg.

He waits for the hard-length ball to come into him and pulls it flat.

A bumper-yorker attempt ends as a low full toss at 143 km/h. Farhan punches it from the front of the body, finding mid-on. A bouncer quickly off the pitch at 137 km/h, landing around off and skidding through. Farhan crouches low to play under the ball.

5th Over

Farhan makes room to adjust to the line and taps the ball into the off side. Single taken.

Offered slight width, chopped off the back foot to point. No run.

Varun uses the towel. Full delivery on leg stump. Flicked through midwicket for a single.

Zaman creates the shot. Moved down the pitch while making room, met the full-length ball and drove firmly through mid-on.

A low full toss outside off at 93 kph. Farhan swings hard. Varun half-stops it to his left on the follow-through. Single taken.

Slip in place.

Released from a high point. Found extra bounce from a length. Zaman defended straight from middle stump. One run.

4th Over

Pitched on a length outside off stump, punched off the back foot towards cover. No run taken.

A slower delivery. Bumrah followed through to his left but was wrong-footed as the ball dipped low to his right. He reached for it with both hands but could not hold on. Farhan was early into the straight drive and had to adjust to the dip.

Short of a length and slower outside off stump. Farhan stayed back and patted it gently into the off side.

Outstanding shot. Delivered at 141 kph, fuller length around off stump. Farhan stepped forward slightly, held his balance and swung across the line. The ball sailed over long-on.

Offered width outside off stump. Farhan attempted to cut behind point but was beaten by the extra bounce and pace.

Good length delivery on off stump with slight inward movement. Farhan met it with a straight bat in defence.

3rd Over

Hardik delivered into the pitch, slightly too straight. Zaman pulls towards deep-backward square leg for a single.

The ball swings in. Farhan plays it late, punching off a length to mid-on. One run taken.

A short bouncer is helped fine. Around helmet height, clocked at 128 kph. Slightly slow off the pitch, but Zaman completes the stroke. The ball races to the boundary for four. Hardik delivers on a length. Zaman attempts to work it towards midwicket but misses. The ball strikes high on the pad. No run.

A big inswinger down leg. Fakhar tries to glance the full ball but misses. Samson behind the stumps fails to collect. No chance offered. Umpire signals wide. Three runs added. Slip remains in place.

Hardik bowls a shin-high full toss. Zaman clips it neatly along the ground, finding the gap between midwicket and mid-on. Four runs.

2nd Over

Jasprit Bumrah delivered a fiery opening spell, claiming the wicket of Mohammad Haris and nearly trapping Fakhar Zaman in front, as Pakistan’s top order faced immediate pressure.

On the second ball of the over, Mohammad Haris edged to Hardik Pandya, departing for 3 off 5 deliveries. The dismissal came with just one slip in place, but Bumrah’s delivery found the edge comfortably.

Fakhar Zaman, arriving early at the crease, was involved in a tense moment two balls later. A yorker landed just in front of the crease and struck his front foot. The appeal for leg-before was upheld, but Zaman reviewed immediately. Replays suggested the ball had pitched just down the leg side, and there were two distinct sounds — bat hitting pad. The decision was overturned, allowing Zaman to continue.

Bumrah continued to build pressure with a delivery that angled sharply away, beating Zaman’s outside edge as he looked to push through cover. Two slips were in place, and the crowd responded with growing intensity.

Sahibzada Farhan, who opened with Haris, faced the final delivery of the over — another yorker swinging in sharply. It struck him on the boot, but no run was scored. Farhan had earlier managed a single with a push towards extra cover, narrowly avoiding the hands in the infield.

1st Over

India’s Hardik Pandya kept things tight with a dramatic over, removing Saim Ayub and keeping Mohammad Haris in check, despite a moment of fortune for the latter.

Pandya began with a breakthrough on the first ball of the over. Saim Ayub played a loose square drive to a length ball and handed a simple catch to Jasprit Bumrah at point. The ball, bowled at a gentle pace with slight room, held a bit in the pitch. Ayub attempted to stay on top of the bounce but played early, resulting in a soft dismissal. He departed without scoring.

Mohammad Haris then managed a single off the second delivery, pushing off the back foot to point. Sahibzada Farhan followed with another single, checking his drive and sending the ball to cover, with a hint of swing away from the bat.

The fourth ball produced variable bounce. Haris tried to loft it over mid-on but missed entirely as the ball skidded under his bat.

The fifth delivery saw Haris attempt a front-foot punch, but the ball came off slowly, forcing him to delay his shot. The bowler’s control over length prevented any run.

On the final ball, Haris attempted a risky shot by moving away and slashing at a length delivery. It took the top edge and landed safely in the outfield as point failed to reach it in time. Two runs resulted.

Pandya maintained a consistent three-quarter to fullish length throughout the over, showing variation in pace and exploiting the conditions.

Pakistan have elected to bat first against India in the 6th match of the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

PLAYING XI

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed

Excitement rose on Sunday ahead of the high-stakes Group A match between Pakistan and India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the toss scheduled shortly before the start.

The Pakistan side, led by Salman Ali Agha, enters the match in confident form. The team has recently secured victory over the West Indies and won the tri-nation series involving the UAE and Afghanistan. In the Asia Cup opener, Pakistan defeated Oman by 93 runs.

However, in a rare development for a match between the South Asian rivals, hundreds of tickets remained unsold on the morning of the game. With fewer than eight hours to go, tickets were still available on the tournament’s official platform. Prices ranged from $205 for premium stand seats to $245 for east and west pavilions. Hospitality packages were also available at $1,645 each.

Al Jazeera reported the continued availability of tickets as unusual, given the long-standing rivalry between the two sides.

Although India are the official host of the Asia Cup 2025, reports from Indian media on Saturday indicated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was planning an “invisible boycott” of the fixture. Senior BCCI officials were not expected to attend the match in Dubai.

As of Sunday morning, no BCCI representative had arrived in the UAE. Meanwhile, Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi met with both teams and unveiled the tournament trophy.

Ahead of the match, Dubai Police issued a public advisory warning spectators against any acts of violence, racism or abusive conduct. Offenders will face heavy fines and possible imprisonment. Authorities urged fans to display good sportsmanship and follow local regulations during the event.

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3rd Over

Abhishek Sharma has continued to treat Shaheen Afridi with utter contempt. India plundered 11 runs of the third over.

2nd Over

Saim Ayub removed Shubman Gill on 5-ball 12, after the latter clubbed the off-spinner for two back-to-back boundaries.

1st Over

Abhishek Sharma has started off the proceedings with the boundary off the first bowl of Shaheen Shah Afridi. The boundary followed by sixer. But Shaheen ended over, conceding 12 runs.

Pakistan’s Innings

20th Over

19th Over

18th Over

During the 18th over, the first ball was missed. Afridi hit a six on the second, followed by a single on the third. Faheem was trapped lbw on the fourth. Singles came off the fifth and sixth balls.

17th Over

16th Over

The 16th over started with a single. The second and third balls were missed. Three runs were made on the fourth, followed by a single on the fifth. The sixth delivery was missed.

15th Over

In the 15th over, the first ball was missed. Singles were taken on the second and third deliveries. The fourth and fifth were missed, while Faheem hit a boundary on the final ball.

14th Over

Meanwhile, Faheem scored singles at 13.1 and 13.4 overs by pushing the ball through the cover region and behind square on the back foot respectively.

Asad Khan, a passionate fan, questioned whether Pakistan’s target of 140 runs would suffice, highlighting the distance still to cover.

13th Over

Kuldeep Yadav continues to trouble Pakistan’s batsmen with his spin bowling, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries as the visitors struggle on a fresh pitch.

On the hat-trick ball, Kuldeep sets a slip to increase pressure.

Earlier at 12.3 overs, Kuldeep nearly caught Hasan Nawaz with a diving effort to his right, but the ball landed just below.

At 12.2 overs, Hasan Nawaz punches a ball off the back foot to cover as Kuldeep maintains a good length and line just outside off stump.

At 12.1 overs, Hasan Nawaz scores two runs from a short delivery on the leg side. The ball may have slipped from Kuldeep’s hand, as it came out slower than intended.

12th Over

Axar Patel bowls to Sahibzada Farhan, no run. The ball is slightly short on leg, clipped towards midwicket.

One run taken off Axar Patel’s delivery to Hasan Nawaz. The ball comes full just outside off stump. Nawaz inside-edges and pushes for a single. Samson moves to field but fails to gather cleanly.

Sahibzada Farhan scores one run off Axar Patel. The delivery lands on the pads and is guided through midwicket.

No run from Axar Patel to Sahibzada Farhan, who punches off the back foot straight to the bowler.

Axar Patel bowls a length ball just outside off to Farhan, who finds cover with a controlled punch. No run.

11th Over

Farhan slaps the ball from just outside off to long-on for a single.

A length ball on leg is delivered; Farhan punches it from the crease back to the bowler, appearing hurried rather than attempting a back-foot shot.

Nawaz faces a length ball drifting away at fourth stump and punches it off the back foot to long-on for a single.

A full delivery on leg stump is punched to long-on for a single.

A ball pitched up outside off stump is driven to long-on, yielding one run.

A yorker outside off stump, slightly loopy, is driven to long-off for a single.

10th Over

Spinner bowls a hard length at 90 km/h, just outside off stump. Shot punched straight back to the bowler.

Length ball aimed at the top of middle stump, quick and lively, chopped to backward point. Chopped off a length from the fourth ball, finds point.

Beaten on the sweep. Full ball on the fifth, Agha stays around off and tries to drag it square.

9th Over

At 8.1 overs, Sahibzada Farhan took a single off a shortish length ball, which bounced extra and denied him room for a flat-bat shot. He managed to find long-off.

8th Over

7th Over

Chops the ball from just outside off towards point.

6th Over

The seam-up yorker arrives at 142 km/h. It lands around the fifth stump after Farhan attempts a cut behind square.

An exceptional heave. Farhan twists his core to use the horizontal bat. Having cleared six over long-on earlier, he now hits one over backward square leg.

He waits for the hard-length ball to come into him and pulls it flat.

5th Over

Farhan makes room to adjust to the line and taps the ball into the off side. Single taken.

Offered slight width, chopped off the back foot to point. No run.

Varun uses the towel. Full delivery on leg stump. Flicked through midwicket for a single.

Zaman creates the shot. Moved down the pitch while making room, met the full-length ball and drove firmly through mid-on.

A low full toss outside off at 93 kph. Farhan swings hard. Varun half-stops it to his left on the follow-through. Single taken.

Slip in place.

Released from a high point. Found extra bounce from a length. Zaman defended straight from middle stump. One run.

4th Over

Pitched on a length outside off stump, punched off the back foot towards cover. No run taken.

Short of a length and slower outside off stump. Farhan stayed back and patted it gently into the off side.

Outstanding shot. Delivered at 141 kph, fuller length around off stump. Farhan stepped forward slightly, held his balance and swung across the line. The ball sailed over long-on.

Offered width outside off stump. Farhan attempted to cut behind point but was beaten by the extra bounce and pace.

Good length delivery on off stump with slight inward movement. Farhan met it with a straight bat in defence.

3rd Over

Hardik delivered into the pitch, slightly too straight. Zaman pulls towards deep-backward square leg for a single.

The ball swings in. Farhan plays it late, punching off a length to mid-on. One run taken.

A big inswinger down leg. Fakhar tries to glance the full ball but misses. Samson behind the stumps fails to collect. No chance offered. Umpire signals wide. Three runs added. Slip remains in place.

Hardik bowls a shin-high full toss. Zaman clips it neatly along the ground, finding the gap between midwicket and mid-on. Four runs.

2nd Over

Jasprit Bumrah delivered a fiery opening spell, claiming the wicket of Mohammad Haris and nearly trapping Fakhar Zaman in front, as Pakistan’s top order faced immediate pressure.

1st Over

India’s Hardik Pandya kept things tight with a dramatic over, removing Saim Ayub and keeping Mohammad Haris in check, despite a moment of fortune for the latter.

The fourth ball produced variable bounce. Haris tried to loft it over mid-on but missed entirely as the ball skidded under his bat.

The fifth delivery saw Haris attempt a front-foot punch, but the ball came off slowly, forcing him to delay his shot. The bowler’s control over length prevented any run.

Pandya maintained a consistent three-quarter to fullish length throughout the over, showing variation in pace and exploiting the conditions.

Pakistan have elected to bat first against India in the 6th match of the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

PLAYING XI

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed

Excitement rose on Sunday ahead of the high-stakes Group A match between Pakistan and India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the toss scheduled shortly before the start.

Al Jazeera reported the continued availability of tickets as unusual, given the long-standing rivalry between the two sides.

As of Sunday morning, no BCCI representative had arrived in the UAE. Meanwhile, Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi met with both teams and unveiled the tournament trophy.

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Ahead of the high-voltage Asia Cup 2025 match between Pakistan and India, Dubai Police has issued a stern warning to fans.

In a statement, the authorities stressed that violence, abusive language, or racist behaviour will not be tolerated inside the stadium.

The most anticipated match between arch-rivals is set to be played today in Dubai International Stadium.

Chairman of the Events Security Committee of Dubai Police Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, said offenders could face one to three months in jail and fines ranging from AED 10,000 to AED 30,000 (equivalent to PKR 750,000 to 2.3 million).

Dubai Police advised spectators to maintain discipline and display positive behaviour during the match.

Any violation will result in immediate legal action to protect the safety of fans and preserve the stadium’s environment, according to the officials.

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Sri Lanka eased past Bangladesh with a dominant batting display to chase a 140-run target in the fifth match of the ongoing ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Chasing a modest 140-run target, Sri Lanka comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and 32 balls to spare.

The defending champions of the T20 Asia Cup, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost Kusal Mendis (three) in the second over with just 13 runs on the board.

Following the early setback, Kamil Mishara joined Nissanka in the middle, and the duo steered Sri Lanka in a touching distance by putting together 85 runs for the second wicket.

Nissanka, who was the core aggressor of the match-defining stand, eventually fell victim to Mahedi Hasan in the 11th over after top scoring with a 34-ball 50, studded with six fours and a six.

Sri Lanka then lost two more wickets in quick succession but Mishara stood his ground firm and steered them over the line with an unbeaten 46 off 32 deliveries, comprising four fours and two sixes.

Mahedi was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh, taking two wickets for just 29 runs in his four overs, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahman could claim one apiece.

Earlier, Bangladesh managed to put up 139 for five in their allotted overs despite a shaky start, as their middle order salvaged the innings against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka’s decision to field first proved beneficial as Bangladesh could accumulate 139/5 in their allotted 20 overs.

The Tigers got off to a disastrous start to their innings as they lost both their openers, Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon, both duck and thus had been reduced to 2/0 in 1.4 overs.

Bangladesh lost another wicket inside the batting powerplay when Towhid Hridoy (eight) got run out in the fifth over while attempting to run a couple.

Following the early stutter, Bangladesh captain Litton Das attempted to launch a recovery with a sensible knock until falling victim to Wanindu Hasaranga in the 10th over. He scored 28 off 26 deliveries with the help of four boundaries.

With Bangladesh reeling at 53/5 in 9.5 overs, middle-order batter Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain registered a gutsy sixth-wicket partnership, adding 86 runs in 61 deliveries.

Shamim remained the top scorer for Sri Lanka with a 34-ball 42, laced with three fours and a six, closely followed by Jaker, who made 41 from as many deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

Hasaranga was the standout bowler for Sri Lanka, taking two wickets for just 25 runs in his two overs, while Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara chipped in with one scalp apiece.

Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl first against Bangladesh.

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando and Nuwan Thushara.

Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Litton Das (c & wk), Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur Rahman.

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A day before the much-awaited match, Pakistani opener Saim Ayub expressed confidence in the young team ahead of the high-profile Asia Cup clash against India, scheduled for Sunday (tomorrow) in Dubai.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, the young top-order batter emphasised that Pakistan’s focus is on winning the tournament rather than just the bilateral encounter.

Responding to a question on facing India’s fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, Pakistan’s ace batsman Ayub said he is ready to take on any bowler and embrace the challenge. However, he stressed that the primary objective “now is to lead the team to victory”.

He added that while the Pakistan-India match is significant for fans, the team approaches it in their own way, with every player striving to perform at their best.

Ayub underlined that success is not limited to one or two individuals; the aim is for different players to step up in each match, with mutual trust and support within the squad.

He also explained that the playing XI is selected based on pitch conditions, with spinners given more opportunities on drier surfaces.

Reflecting on the T20 match in the United States during the T20I World Cup in 2024, Ayub said the memories of that game are faint, and the team is focused on learning from the past and concentrating on the present.

He concluded by asserting that Pakistan will play fearless cricket against all teams and will maintain complete focus against India.

Pakistan came into the tournament in decent nick, winning a T20 tri-series in the UAE, also involving Afghanistan, before heading into the Asia Cup.

They won their opening match against Oman by 93 runs, scoring a 160 in their allotted 20 overs before bowling out the Gulf side for just 67 runs.

India, however, is the overall favourite to win the tournament. They beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their previous match, whom they routed for 57 in 13.1 overs before returning to chase down the target in 27 balls on Thursday.

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Pakistan sealed a commanding 93-run victory over Oman to begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign at Dubai International Stadium on Friday.

Chasing a 161-run target, Oman’s batting unit could yield 67 runs before getting bowled out in 16.4 overs and thus suffered a gruelling defeat in their maiden Asia Cup appearance.

Middle-order batter Hammad Mirza waged a lone battle for Oman, scoring 27 off 23 deliveries with the help of three fours and a six.

Besides him, only opening batter Aamir Kaleem (13) and number nine batter Shakeel Ahmed (10) could amass double figures against a ruthless Pakistan bowling attack.

For Pakistan, Saim Ayub, Sufiuyan Muqeem and Faheem Ashraf picked up two wickets each, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with one scalp apiece.

Opting to bat first, Pakistan registered 160/7 in their allotted 20 overs despite the middle-order collapse.

The Green Shirts got off to a dismal start as their opener, Saim Ayub, fell for a golden duck on the second delivery of the innings with just four runs on the board.

Following the early setback, Haris joined opening batter Sahibzada Farhan in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly to launch a significant recovery by putting together 85 runs for the second wicket.

The anchoring stand eventually culminated on the final delivery of the 11th over when Aamir Kaleem got Farhan caught and bowled. The right-handed batter walked back after scoring a run-a-ball 29, featuring one four.

Kaleem made twin strikes in his next over, dismissing Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha (zero) and mainstay Haris, who remained their top scorer with 66 off 43 deliveries, studded with seven fours and three sixes.

Meanwhile, experienced Fakhar Zaman, who had come out to bat at number four, was then involved in a brief 18-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Hasan Nawaz, who could score nine off 15 deliveries before falling victim to Faisal.

With the scoreboard reading 120/5 in 16.4 overs, in-form all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz joined Fakhar in the middle and played a blistering 19-run cameo off 10 balls, bolstering the total to 148/5 in 18.5 overs before Faisal drew curtains on his blitz.

Fakhar remained a notable contributor to Pakistan’s total with an unbeaten 23 off 16 deliveries, featuring two fours.

Aamir and Faisal jointly led Oman’s bowling charge with three wickets each, while Muhammad Nadeem chipped in with one scalp.

The 93-run victory put Pakistan in second position in the Asia Cup 2025 Group B standings with two points and a net run rate of 4.650.

The Green Shirts will face arch-rivals India in their next match, scheduled to be played at the same venue on Sunday.

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Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat against Oman first as Green Shirts began their ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 campaign at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Playing XIs
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Haris (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed.

Oman: Jatinder Singh (c), Syed Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Hasnain Ali Shah, Shah Faisal, Muhammad Nadeem, Zikria Islam, Sufyan Mahmood, Shakeel Ahmad and Samay Shrivastava.

Head-to-head
Pakistan and Oman never came face-to-face in international cricket before their Asia Cup 2025 meeting.

Form Guide
The two teams enter the Asia Cup 2025 with contrasting momentum in their favour as Pakistan have just one defeat in their last five completed T20Is, while Oman are on a five-match losing streak.

In a build-up to the ongoing continental tournament, the Green Shirts participated in a T20I tri-series against Afghanistan and hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) and clinched the title by sustaining just one defeat.

Oman, on the other hand, last played the shortest format in February this year, when they hosted the United States of America (USA) for a three-match series, which the visitors clean-swept.

Pakistan: W, W, L, W, W (most recent first)

Oman: L, L, L, L, L

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As the much-anticipated Pakistan-India match in the Asia Cup 2025 draws closer, ticket demand has surged dramatically.

According to organisers, 90% of tickets have already been sold, with almost all seats in the general enclosure now fully booked by cricket fans.

By Thursday evening, the minimum ticket price available stood at AED 750 (approximately PKR 57,000), while premium tickets were priced at AED 3,500 (around PKR 270,000). However, only a limited number remain available.

Tickets are being purchased not only online but also from dedicated ticket counters set up near the Dubai Cricket Stadium, where fans continue to queue in large numbers.

To facilitate greater access, organisers also opened a fresh online sales window on Thursday evening, ensuring fans have one final opportunity to secure seats.

The Pakistan-India contest in Dubai is regarded as the most sought-after fixture of the tournament, drawing unprecedented excitement from supporters across the region.

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Bangladesh began their Asia Cup 2025’s campaign with a seven-wicket victory over Hong Kong during the tournament’s third match at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.

Chasing a modest 144-run target, the Tigers comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of three wickets and 14 balls to spare.

Leading the way for them was their captain, Das, who top-scored with a 39-ball 59, studded with six fours and a six.

Das was supported by Towhid Hridoy, who remained a notable contributor with an unbeaten 35 off 36 deliveries.

The duo also shared a 95-run partnership for the third wicket, which culminated with Das’s dismissal on the first delivery of the 18th over when Bangladesh needed only two.

Ateeq Iqbal was the pick of the bowlers for Hong Kong, taking two wickets for 14 runs in his 3.4 overs, while Ayush Shukla made one strike.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das’s decision to field first paid dividends as his team’s bowling unit curtailed Hong Kong to 143/7 in their allotted 20 overs.

Hong Kong got off to a shaky start to their innings as Taskin Ahmed got Anshy Rath (four) caught behind on the third delivery of the second over with just seven runs on the board.

The associate nation then suffered another setback in the batting powerplay, when Babar Hayat (14) was cleaned up by Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and consequently slipped to 30/2 in 4.4 overs.

Following the early stutter, middle-order batter Nizakat Khan and opener Zeeshan Ali launched a brief recovery by putting together 41 runs for the third wicket until Tanzim Hasan Sakib got rid of the latter to break the budding partnership.

The wicketkeeper batter remained a notable run-getter for Hong Kong, scoring 30 off 34 with the help of three fours and a six.

Nizakat was involved in another important partnership for Hong Kong when he, alongside captain Yasim Murtaza, added 46 runs for the fourth wicket.

Murtaza, who was the core aggressor of the crucial stand, had an agonising end to his blistering cameo as he got run out after scoring 28 off 19 deliveries with the help of two sixes and as many fours.

Nizakat, on the other hand, fell victim to Taskin in the penultimate over and walked back after top-scoring for Hong Kong with a 40-ball 42, laced with two fours and a six.

Following his dismissal, Hong Kong lost two more wickets and could add nine runs to their total.

For Bangladesh, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed and Rishad Hossain bagged two wickets each.

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Hong Kong set a modest 144-run target for Bangladesh in the third match of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.