India vs Pakistan (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
The highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash between India and Pakistan is once again making headlines, but not just for the cricket. Off-field controversies continue to overshadow the build-up to this blockbuster encounter.
Ahead of Sunday’s match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise has ignited fresh debate by conspicuously omitting India from its matchday poster. This isn’t the first time; it’s the second instance of such an exclusion in the ongoing Asia Cup, drawing significant attention and criticism.
Karachi Kings (Photo: @KarachiKingsARY on X)
Previously, Karachi Kings posted a chess-themed graphic on social media, featuring Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha. India’s designated spot on the board was deliberately left as a black silhouette, a move that immediately drew comparisons to the Punjab Kings who similarly avoided naming Pakistan in their match announcement. The intense online reactions prompted Karachi Kings to disable comments on their X handle.
The previous group-stage meeting saw India dominate Pakistan, comfortably chasing down 128 runs thanks to Kuldeep Yadav’s impressive 3/18 spell. However, the game concluded with palpable tension, as Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Shivam Dube notably declined to shake hands with their opponents. Instead, they dedicated their victory to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian Armed Forces, highlighting the broader geopolitical context that often intertwines with these cricket rivalries.
Despite these external controversies and heightened emotions, the excitement for the actual cricket remains sky-high. Both India and Pakistan have kicked off their Asia Cup campaigns with strong performances, and the potential for multiple high-stakes face-offs between these arch-rivals keeps fans and broadcasters alike eagerly anticipating every moment.
As history consistently shows, when India and Pakistan clash, the drama is guaranteed to extend far beyond the boundary lines, making every encounter a spectacle of sport and sentiment.
India vs Pakistan Squads
India:
Suyakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
Pakistan:
Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.