Asia Cup 2025 | Final: India vs Pakistan | Preview and Predictions

After almost three weeks of action, the final game of the Asia Cup 2025 is here and for the first time in the history of the Asia Cup, we have an India-Pakistan final. India moved into the final with a flawless record, without dropping a single game while Pakistan have improved each game on and are much better poised than were they were during the first encounter between these two teams in the Asia Cup 2025.

Ahead of the final of the Asia Cup 2025, here is our match preview and predictions. 

Asia Cup 2025 | Final: IND vs PAK | 20:00 IST, September 28

India come into the final off the back of a Super Over win against Sri Lanka in the final Super Four encounter and are the only team in the tournament who are yet to lose a game. The Indian team have finally looked like they have ticked off all the boxes and put up a well-round performance against Sri Lanka.

Abhishek Sharma has been doing the heavy-lifting with the bat for the Indian team, although Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav has been the biggest let down with the bat in the event. Regarded as one of the country’s finest T20I batters, Yadav has had a horrid run and will be hoping to turn his fortunes in the final. The likes of Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson also got a good hit out against Sri Lanka, crucially before the final. 

The Indian spinners have been key for the Men in Blue in the tournament while like their captain Yadav, star bowler, Jasprit Bumrah is yet to fit top gear. Bumrah was expensive against Pakistan last time around and with Arshdeep Singh putting in a match-winning performance against Sri Lanka in the previous game, the pressure will be on Bumrah to deliver the goods, when it matters the most. 

Pakistan on the other side, started the tournament in slow fashion but have slowly improved all the disciplines as they pulled off a Houdini act against Bangladesh in a practical semi-final bout in their final Super Four match to make the final. Pakistan have finally found a top order that has got them going in Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman. Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Nawaz have been more than handy with the bat in the lower order while its been Shaheen Shah Afridi with some crucial runs for Pakistan, throughout the event, who has bailed them out on multiple occasions. 

In their previous game, defending a paltry 135, the Pakistan bowling unit stepped up in style as Afridi continued to strike in the Powerplay and with Saim Ayub and Haris Rauf cleaning up the middle and lower orders, Pakistan finally seems to have found their form at the right time. At the Dubai ground, where they stole victory from under Bangladesh’s nose, Pakistan will count on their bowlers to once again come good.

The Dubai ground has been a slow strip but has provided something for the new ball bowlers. India have held the upper hand in this blockbuster matchup for most of the games in the recent past and come in as favourites once again. Expect Pakistan though, to put up a stronger fight and with plenty of off-field tensions rising high, expect a thrilling end to the Asia Cup with Suryakumar Yadav’s boys holding the edge. 

Fantasy XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Hardik Pandya, Mohammad Nawaz, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Jasprit Bumrah

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Winners Prediction: India