Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf confidently predicts victory in both potential Asia Cup 2025 matches against India. The two teams are set to clash in Dubai on September 14th, despite recent political tensions and the Pahalgam terror attack.
Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf made a massive and bold prediction ahead of their clash against Team India in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. India and Pakistan will lock horns in the much-anticipated and high-volatile clash on September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium in the UAE.
Despite criticism from the Indian public over the BCCI agreeing to play Pakistan in a multi-nation tournament, especially in the aftermath Pahalgam terror attack, which took place on April 22, the clash between the two arch-rivals is slated to take place as per the schedule released by the Asian Cricket Council earlier this month. Recently, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs officially announced that Indian athletes, irrespective of any sport, will not engage with Pakistan on Indian soil or in Pakistan, but the two sides will face off in international events.
India and Pakistan are clubbed in Group A, alongside Oman and the UAE, and the two sides will likely face off three times in the continental tournament, including the Super 4 stage and the final, which will take place on September 28 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Haris Rauf’s warning to Team India
Pakistan began their training for the Asia Cup 2025 and will play a T20I tri-series against the UAE and Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, which will start on August 29. Haris Rauf was spotted practicing with the Pakistan squad in Sharjah ahead of the tri-series, when a fan reminded him that the Men in Green have two matches against India.
Rauf boldly said, “Dono apna hai, Inshallah” (Both matches are ours, God willing).
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On August 17, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee announced the 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025, which will be led by Salman Ali Agha. The selectors took a bold call by leaving out two veteran batters, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who made their last appearance in the format in December 2024. The selection committee picked Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Abrar Ahmad in the squad.
Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan have also been excluded from the 17-member Pakistan squad that will participate in the Asia Cup.
India vs Pakistan Asia Cup clash
Since India and Pakistan’s bilateral series has been suspended by the BCCI after the 2016 Uri attack by terrorists, the face-off between thetwo sides is restricted to ACC and ICC tournaments. The last time India and Pakistan locked horns was in the Champions Trophy this year, where the Men in Blue defeated Mohammad Rizwan-led side by six wickets in the group stage at the Dubai International Stadium.
The upcoming Asia Cup clash will be the first face-off between India and Pakistan post the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian defence forces’ successful Operation Sindoor. In the previous edition of the Asia Cup in 2023, India defeated Pakistan by 228 runs in the Super 4 stage to book their spot in the final against Sri Lanka.
India and Pakistan have faced off 19 times in the Asia Cup, with the Men in Blue having emerged victorious on 10 occasions, while the Men in Green won 6 matches, and other outings ended without any result. The upcoming Asia Cup clash between the two arch-rivals will mark their 20th encounter in the continental tournament, with fans eagerly anticipating another high-octane clash as both sides aim to assert dominance.