When India take on Pakistan on a cricket field, it is always a blockbuster. But emotions will run even higher in Sunday's Asia Cup clash between the Asian powerhouses, who engaged in a four-day military conflict earlier this year. Even before the clashes in May, which nearly escalated into a full-blown war, bilateral cricket ties had been suspended. The arch-rivals now play each other only in multi-team tournaments.
All Set & Raring To Go đ đȘ
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 14, 2025
It's Match No. 2ïžâŁ for #TeamIndia đźđł in #AsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/vKUgTJ1HAD
While the threat of a boycott is over, sparks may fly with India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistan counterpart Salman Agha ruling out dialing down aggression in the much-anticipated Group A fixture. India, the reigning 20-overs world champions, are firm favourites to retain their Asia Cup title and are determined not to let geopolitics derail their campaign.
As the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is set to host the high-octane contest, the extreme weather conditions persisting in the Middle Eastern city have become the talking point. The scorching Dubai conditions could play a part in the outcome of the game, and with spinners expected to get good support at night, the toss could become crucial.
Dubai weather report for Sunday
As always, the Dubai weather will play its part in the game's outcome. According to AccuWeather, the desert city is expected to bake under 39°C during the day, with the humidity likely to make it feel closer to 44°C. A rain threat is completely out of the picture and the overhead conditions are likely to give the players a tough time. The wind speeds could touch 33 km/h during the game, which could also become a major challenge for the teams.
The night will remain warm, around 30°C, although the skies should stay clear.
Air Quality not ideal for cricket game?
The extreme heat is accompanied by a serious air quality warning in Dubai, reports indicate. Air Quality conditions are said to be "very unhealthy" throughout the day and into the night, NDTV said in a report. Skies will be clear and hazy, with a 'very high' Max UV Index of 9.0, demanding maximum sun protection for anyone outdoors, it added.
Squads:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Sahibzada Farhan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Probable Playing XI:
Team India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.
Team Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (C), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
