IND v PAK Final: Two players to be dropped for the final match; this is going to be the strongest playing11 for the India National Team!

The stage is set for the grand finale of the T20 Asia Cup 2025. The final of the Asia Cup T20 will be played between India and Pakistan on Sunday. The match will be played at the Dubai International Stadium starting at 8:00 PM IST. This will be the first time in the 41-year history of the Asia Cup that these two teams will face each other in the final.

Must Read - No Handshake Part3, After Pakistani Players - Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav set to Snub a handshake to Mohsin Naqvi

Therefore, the match is expected to be an interesting one. The Indian team may make two changes for this match. Shivam Dubey and Jasprit Bumrah may return in place of Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Meanwhile, the Pakistani team may field unchanged.

Off-field conflicts

are also a topic of discussion in this high-voltage match being played in Dubai, not only sporting events but also political turmoil off the field. As the match draws closer, the atmosphere is both tense and exciting. This time, the India-Pakistan match is not limited to cricket alone. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav's refusal to shake hands at the toss, his refusal to shake hands after the match, and Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf's controversial gesture all added fuel to the fire.

Rauf's plane crash gesture escalated the situation to the point where the ICC fined him 30 percent of his match fee. Suryakumar was also fined 30 percent of his match fee and advised by the ICC to refrain from making political statements. Pakistan's Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi further fueled the controversy by repeatedly posting inflammatory posts on his 'X' timeline. This Naqvi is also the President of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Asian Cricket Council.

India's dominance, but injuries are a matter of concern

India has remained unbeaten in the tournament so far. In their six consecutive wins, only Sri Lanka made it to the Super Over. However, India's campaign has not been completely injury-free. Against Sri Lanka, Hardik Pandya had to leave the field after just one over due to a hamstring strain. Apart from this, Abhishek Sharma also complained of cramps. However, Morkel has declared Abhishek fit, while a decision on Hardik will be taken today.

India's bowling coach Morne Morkel said in a press conference, "Hardik will be examined on Saturday. Both he and Abhishek have cramps, but Abhishek is fine." This news is a relief for Indian fans, as Abhishek Sharma has been India's most reliable batsman in this tournament. He has scored 309 runs in six matches, while Tilak Varma is second with 144 runs.

If Hardik doesn't play, who will be in the team?

However, if Hardik is unable to play, it will be a major blow to Team India. He both stabilizes the batting and bowling. It will be interesting to see whether the team management will field an extra fast bowler if Hardik doesn't play. In this situation, Arshdeep Singh is a strong possibility. However, if Hardik remains fit, he will play.

Dependence on Abhishek and expectations from the other batsmen

India's batting has largely relied on Abhishek throughout the tournament. The question is, if he gets out early in the final, will the other batsmen be able to hold the team together? Suryakumar Yadav has so far failed to score big, Shubman Gill has been unable to finish matches despite getting set several times, while Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma have performed well in only a few matches. Therefore, the team management will need to score quickly in the powerplay and also have a strong middle order.

Pakistan's Problems and Weaknesses

If India has its own concerns, Pakistan is not free from troubles either. Pakistan's batting order has been unstable throughout the tournament. Sahibzada Farhan was able to trouble Jasprit Bumrah to some extent, but the other batsmen completely flopped. Saim Ayub was out for zero four times and at one point he had more wickets than runs. Hussain Talat and Salman Ali Agha struggled against the Indian spinners. In Sunday's match too, the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy is expected to play a crucial role.

The clash between bowlers will be crucial

India will be ready to provide the lead with the new ball. In Hardik's absence, Arshdeep could fill this role. Pakistan, on the other hand, will rely on Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. If Pakistan's bowling attack dismantles India's top order early, the match could be low-scoring. However, India has deep batsmen who can prolong the match. Morne Morkel said before the match, "Beauty doesn't matter anymore. Even an ugly win is a win."

Beyond Politics, Only One Goal:

No matter how heated the atmosphere on the field, only one thing matters to India: victory. As the old saying goes, "All's well that ends well." No matter how the Indian team wins, fans only care about the result.

Strongest Playing 11 of India National Cricket Team for the Asia Cup Final versus Pakistan

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya/Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav.

Do Read - Ind v Pak Asia Cup Final: 5 things India must get right to avoid losing the trophy to Pakistan