Former Pakistan fast-bowling great Wasim Akram has urged Salman Ali Agha and his men to back themselves and stay composed as they gear up for the Asia Cup 2025 final against India in Dubai on Sunday. The highly anticipated clash will be the third meeting between the two arch-rivals in this year’s tournament, with India, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, having prevailed in both previous encounters.
Akram, while acknowledging India’s strong run, stressed that the final remains wide open. “India is definitely the favourite, but anything can happen in a final. Pakistan must keep their confidence high and play smart cricket. Early wickets will be key in putting India under pressure. At the end of the day, I hope the best team wins,” Akram said.
Pakistan’s journey to the summit clash has been a mix of ups and downs. However, their hard-fought 11-run victory over Bangladesh in the Super Four stage sealed their place in the final, highlighting their resilience in pressure situations.
Reflecting on that performance, skipper Salman Ali Agha said such wins reveal the team’s true character. “If you win games like this, then we must be a special team. Everyone contributed well. There’s some work to be done on batting, but fielding has been excellent, thanks to the hard sessions with Shane. Mike Hesson has made it clear that without strong fielding, you won’t make the team,” Agha noted.
He added that Pakistan is capable of challenging any opposition. “We are good enough to beat anyone, and we’ll be ready to give our best against India on Sunday,” he said.
The upcoming clash marks the first time India and Pakistan will meet in an Asia Cup final across both ODI and T20I formats, making it a historic and high-stakes contest that promises to capture the attention of cricket fans worldwide.