Dubai: The countdown is on for one of cricket’s most electrifying encounters as India and Pakistan gear up for their Asia Cup 2025 showdown on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. But this isn’t just another match, public debate and heightened emotions have added an extra edge to the already high-stakes clash.
Calls for India to boycott the fixture have surfaced from some sections of the public, including political figures and families affected by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks. Amid this backdrop, Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has acknowledged the sensitivity of the situation, saying, "It is a very sensitive issue. Players feel the emotion and sentiments of the public. This is what we have discussed in the team meetings." He stressed that while the team is mindful of these concerns, their focus remains squarely on cricket.
The match, already one of the tournament’s most anticipated, carries additional emotional and political weight due to recent tensions between the two nations. Despite the external noise, Team India is honing its preparation, aiming to maintain momentum and secure qualification in the Asia Cup.
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal weighed in on India’s participation, clarifying that while bilateral series with Pakistan are off the table, the team is obliged to play in ACC or ICC events. “We will go by what the government advises us to do,” he said. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13, with encounters limited to multi-nation tournaments like the Asia Cup and ICC events.
On the cricketing front, Ryan ten Doeschate also addressed Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson’s recent remark calling Mohammad Nawaz the "best spinner in the world." Ten Doeschate played down the statement while expressing full confidence in India’s spin arsenal of Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav.
"I think spinners are going to be very important in this competition. If anything, it hasn't gripped as much as we anticipated, but spin in general has become a very important part of T20 cricket, and both teams have a lot of spin on offer. And we certainly know how we feel about Varun, Axar, and Kuldeep. Everyone's entitled to their opinion," he said.
Hesson’s praise for Nawaz came after the left-arm spinner delivered a match-winning 5/19, including a hat-trick, against Oman in Pakistan’s opener and ended the tri-series as Player of the Series with 10 wickets from five innings.
India, meanwhile, boasts a formidable spin attack. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were pivotal in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, while Varun Chakravarthy has made a stunning comeback, becoming the highest wicket-taker in T20Is among full-member nations since his return, with 32 wickets from 13 innings.
With both teams likely to unleash spin-heavy attacks, Sunday’s clash promises to be a tactical battle where the slow bowlers could well decide the outcome on the Dubai track.
Cricket will once again serve as the arena where India and Pakistan face off, even as political tensions simmer off the field, making tomorrow’s match a spectacle of skill, strategy, and national pride.
