There has been plenty of controversy and aggression surrounding the mentions of India and Pakistan through Asia Cup 2025, with angry words and barbs traded back and forth as they have met twice in the wake of the Pahalgam attacks and Operation Sindoor. True, matches between these two teams should not be ignored as these matches take place. However, things are a little different when it comes to a final: with a trophy on the line, the cricket itself comes into hyper focus, about who can do what to get the result on the field.
The tactics that both teams use will come into the limelight, but going into this, both units know what they are all about. Pakistan have been tinkering here and there, but do now seen to have a solid idea of what their batting order and bowling combination looks like, and how to get the best out of it. It is an all-rounder heavy team, and one which will only really have to consider whether Saim Ayub will get to play in the final. The out of sorts southpaw has looked in horrid touch this tournament, scoring just 23 runs in 6 matches, including four ducks. Do they bet on his potential to come good?
For India, the starting XI looks in good shape, and mostly set with there likely to be very few changes to the team. Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube will likely come back in for the pair of seamers that played in Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. However, there are a couple of question marks for India, particularly with the fitness of Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder only bowled one over against Sri Lanka, and then had to leave the field. However, the Indian coaches have said he will be ready to go, alongside Abhishek Sharma.
India vs Pakistan predicted XI for Asia Cup final
India’s probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
Pakistan probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed