The Pakistan cricketers players were greeted by “Bharat Mata ki Jai” chants at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday just befire their high-profile Asia Cup 2025 encounter against India.
Unlike the previous occasions, this India vs Pakistan encounter has been marred by off-field issues, especially after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
The incident took place on Sunday evening, when the Salman Ali Agha-led Pakistan cricketers made their way into the field of play for pre-match warm-up. According to a TOI report, a handful of Indian fans chanted “India jeetega!” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai!”.
It happened just a day after the security advisory issued by the Dubai agencies. According to Gulf News, the Asia Cup 2025 Security Committee has urged the fans to be respectful and maintain sportsmanship as strict penalties will apply for violations. The report state that pitch invasions, banned items and abusive behavior might lead up to three months in prison and a fine of up to Dh5,000-30,000 (approximately ₹1 to 7 lakh).
Meanwhile, India were sent to bowl first after Pakistan captain won the toss and opted to bat first. Both the teams have went unchanged.
India vs Pakistan Asia Cup playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris(w), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha(c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed
List of banned items during IND vs PAK in Dubai
- Remote-controlled devices
- Animals
- Illegal or toxic substances
- Power banks
- Fireworks or flares
- Laser pointers
- Glass objects
- Selfie sticks, monopods, umbrellas
- Sharp objects
- Smoking
- Outside food or drinks
- Flags or banners