India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup Super Fours: A Grudge Match, Reloaded
Karan Pradhan previews the emotionally charged IND vs PAK Super Fours clash where cricketing stakes meet off-field tensions in a pride-on-the-line rematch between fierce rivals.
Last Updated: 03.39 PM, Sep 21, 2025
GATHER ROUND, one and all, for Round 2 of India-Pakistan at the T20 Asia Cup is upon us! The first encounter was mildly anticlimactic with Pakistan stuttering and stumbling to 127/9 and India wrapping things up with a little over four overs in hand. In the final analysis, Sahibzada Farhan’s patient 40 runs off 44 balls and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s blistering 33 (20) were no match for Kuldeep Yadav’s 3/18, Abhishek Sharma’s 31 (13), Suryakumar Yadav’s 47 (37) and Tilak Varma’s 31 off as many balls.
Just as we all thought the match and its result had been consigned to the history books, there came a twist. Team India’s refusal to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts lit a tinderbox of outrage. PCB officials threatened to pull their team out of the tournament if match referee Andy Pycroft — who approved the no-handshake plan — wasn’t removed from the Asia Cup. Ultimately, the Pakistani board had to make do with an apology from the Zimbabwean cricketer-turned-official. And matters on this front appear to be far from over with reports suggesting that after video-recording the apology, the PCB may be in hot water with the ICC over ‘multiple violations’ of the Players and Match Officials Area protocol.
THE BIG STORY AND SOME SUBPLOTS
The Super 4s meeting between the two sides may not be a showcase for a vastly superior brand of cricket, however, everything points to it being a more emotionally-charged match. On one hand, Suryakumar and Co will seek to drive home their massive superiority in the tournament thus far, while doubling down on the ‘some things are beyond sportsmanship’ stance.
On the other hand, a clearly disgruntled Pakistan (with the cricket world seemingly banding together against them) will approach the match seeking more than just the two points on offer. A statement win would go a long way in restoring some lost pride for Salman Agha’s side, while putting one foot in the final.
In their last group stage game, India’s slightly casual approach very nearly cost them the game, with Oman falling a mere 21 runs short of their target. The deployment of eight bowlers and a very experimental batting order made an already fairly academic fixture seem more like an exhibition game. Nevertheless, full points were secured and alongside Sri Lanka, India too progressed to the second stage undefeated. It’s worth noting that Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy were rested for that match, but will be odds-on to return for Sunday evening’s match.
Pakistan’s final group stage match was against the UAE, and as has become the norm in this series, the opening partnership failed to fire. A sluggish performance with the bat was given a shot in the arm by Afridi’s lower-order heroics, but the subpar 146/9 that Pakistan ended up with should be a cause for concern. Of course the bowlers wrapped up the UAE innings for 105 with relative ease, but the batters’ inability to really get going is one of those crucial factors that could cost Agha and Co at the business end of the tournament.
On paper, India has the advantage, but as the well-worn cliché goes, ‘The game isn’t played on paper’. In the blue corner, Abhishek Sharma will be expected to give the innings a scorching start with the likes of Varma and Suryakumar to build on it. With the ball, Kuldeep will be expected to chip in with some wickets after Bumrah and Hardik Pandya provide the early impetus.
In the green corner, three consecutive ducks probably mean Saim Ayub will be under a significant amount of pressure. He’s been handy with the ball in the tournament thus far, but his team will require some runs from him and urgently. Conversely, Afridi’s been popping up with some handy runs, but his bowling has been far from the quality expected of him. As a matter of fact, no Pakistani bowler has really impressed in the group stage of the Asia Cup. Will all that change in the Super 4s? There isn’t long to go till we find out.
Karan Pradhan is editor-in-chief of Story Mode, a gaming and gaming-adjacent magazine. Follow him on X/Twitter @karanpradhan_