Pakistan vs India: what will help Shaheens triumph over Asia Cup rivals tonight

ISLAMABAD: As the high-stakes Asia Cup 2025 clash between Pakistan and India kicks off at 7:30 PM tonight, cricket experts believe Pakistan will be able to register a memorable win over their arch-rivals, if they stick to a disciplined game throughout.

Analysts say a balanced combination of Pakistan’s best batting and bowling lines, along with composure under pressure, will be key factors in securing massive victory over India tonight.

In a recent interview with a private TV channel, former star pacer Shoaib Akhtar shared his advice for the Shaheens. He stressed the need for a strong bowling attack to put pressure on India. Pakistan should field three fast bowlers and two spinners to take advantage of the pitch conditions, according to star pacer.

Skipper Salman Agha expressed similar thoughts in his post-match interview after Pakistan’s game against Oman. He said, “spin bowlers played really well. We have three spinners, and all are very different. We have Saim, who is outstanding with both the new and old ball. When you come to the UAE, you need to have a lot of spinners.”

Shoaib Akhtar also emphasised the importance of setting a competitive target. “A 200-run total, and then defending it strongly with disciplined bowling, will be crucial,” he warned.

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Former ODI captain Misbah-ul-Haq added that Pakistan must get off to a powerful start. “If Pakistan begins with momentum, India will struggle to catch up,” he said, highlighting the significance of early dominance in such a high-pressure match.

Pakistan vs India: high-voltage clash of Asia Cup 2025

Interestingly, the faces that once defined this iconic rivalry—Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma—will be watching from afar this time. A new generation now takes the stage: Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav are ready to write their own chapter in this historic rivalry.

TEAM PAKISTAN

Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem. Squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

TEAM INDIA

Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav. Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper).