Asia Cup India Vs Pakistan final: Coach Hesson lays out game plan

DUBAI: Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson has sent a clear, rallying message to the national team ahead of the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 final against arch-rivals India.

Hesson’s directive is simple, “Focus only on the game against India. It is natural to get emotional in high-pressure matches,” he said, “but our priority has to be maintaining sharp focus on the game.”

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Pakistan struggled in their first and second matches against India. Despite that, Hesson praised the team’s resilience in the second clash, highlighting how they kept the pressure on the Indian side for long periods. However, he said that the real challenge lies in sustaining that pressure to close out the match.

Confidence is high, Hesson noted, as Pakistan rides a wave of consistent success throughout the tournament, apart from their matches against India. “The players are determined to seize this historic opportunity,” he said.

A HISTORIC FIRST: PAKISTAN VS INDIA ASIA CUP FINAL

For the first time in the 41-year history of the Asia Cup, Pakistan and India will face off in the tournament final. The match will take place Sunday, September 28, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

India dominates Asia Cup history with eight titles (1984, 1988, 1990-91, 1995, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2023), while Pakistan has won twice (2000, 2012). Will Pakistan reclaim the trophy and avenge recent defeats, or will India complete a tournament hat-trick? We will have to wait until Sunday to know.

PAKISTAN’S ROAD TO THE FINAL

Pakistan’s journey has been marked by strong performances, despite losses to India in both encounters. Key victories include:

• Crushing Oman by 93 runs (Sept 12)
• Defeating Sri Lanka by 5 wickets (Sept 23)
• Edging Bangladesh by 11 runs to secure a final berth (Sept 25)
• A hiccup came with a 41-run loss to UAE (Sept 17), but the team’s overall momentum remains positive.

However, India’s unbeaten streak is also there. Led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, India has steamrolled through the tournament undefeated, beating all opponents including Pakistan twice. Their wins include:

• UAE by 9 wickets (Sept 10)
• Pakistan by 7 wickets (Sept 14)
• Oman by 21 runs (Sept 19)
• Pakistan again by 6 wickets (Sept 21)
• Bangladesh by 41 runs to book their final spot (Sept 24)

Now, India looks to cap off their dominant run with a third victory over Pakistan and their ninth Asia Cup title.

PAKISTAN SKIPPER SHOWS CONFIDENCE

After the thrilling win over Bangladesh, Pakistan captain Salman Agha expressed optimism, saying “We know exactly what to do in the final, and we’re ready.” He lauded the bowlers’ precision and the fielders’ sharpness, which were key to their recent success.

Also read: ICC likely to take action against Suryakumar Yadav after Pakistan complaint

Shaheen Afridi’s match-winning magic also adds hope. Afridi earned the player of the match award against Bangladesh for his relentless bowling pressure right from the start.

With emotions running high and stakes higher, the historic final on Sunday promises to be a cricketing classic. Will Pakistan seize their chance at glory and revenge, or will India’s winning streak continue? We will see, two days from now…