India and Pakistan meet again in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup after India’s dominant 7-wicket victory in their Group A encounter on September 14. Both teams have progressed from their respective groups, with India topping Group A unbeaten and Pakistan finishing second despite losing to India.
This high-stakes encounter in the Super Four phase could be important for both teams’ chances of reaching the final, making it even more significant than their previous meeting.
Match Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (14th Match, Super Four) |
| Date | Sunday, September 21, 2025 |
| Time | 8:00 PM Local (6:30 PM IST) |
| Venue | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
Recent Form Analysis
India (Last 3 Asia Cup Matches)
| Match | Opposition | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | Oman | Won | 21 runs |
| Group A | Pakistan | Won | 7 wickets |
| Group A | UAE | Won | 9 wickets |
Pakistan (Last 3 Asia Cup Matches)
| Match | Opposition | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | UAE | Won | 41 runs |
| Group A | India | Lost | 7 wickets |
| Group A | Oman | Won | 93 runs |
India has been in perfect form, winning all three group matches convincingly. Pakistan recovered well from their loss to India by defeating UAE, but their batting concerns remain evident.
Head-to-Head Record (Recent T20I Meetings)
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2025 | Dubai | India won by 7 wickets |
| Jun 9, 2024 | New York | India won by 6 runs |
| Oct 23, 2022 | Melbourne | India won by 4 wickets |
| Sep 4, 2022 | Dubai | Pakistan won by 5 wickets |
| Aug 28, 2022 | Dubai | India won by 5 wickets |
India now leads 12-3 in their last 15 T20I encounters, showing clear dominance over Pakistan in recent years. The psychological advantage firmly rests with India.
Pitch Analysis and Predicted Score
Dubai International Cricket Stadium will host this encounter for the second time in the tournament. The previous India-Pakistan match here saw Pakistan struggle to 127/9, indicating the pitch may not be the easiest for batting.
Key Dubai Characteristics:
- Slower surface that assists spinners
- New ball offers some movement for pace bowlers
- Batting becomes easier once set
- Spin bowling in middle overs can be crucial
Based on recent matches at the venue, scores between 150-170 seem to be competitive.
- Predicted Score Range: 155-175 runs
Players to Watch
India
 |  |  |  |
| Abhishek Sharma | Jasprit Bumrah | Suryakumar Yadav | Kuldeep Yadav |
- Kuldeep Yadav: The left-arm wrist spinner was Player of the Match in their previous encounter with figures of 3/18. His variations could be key again.
- Suryakumar Yadav: The captain has been in good form and finished the previous match with a six.
- Jasprit Bumrah: His ability to take early wickets and bowl in death overs makes him India’s most valuable bowler.
- Abhishek Sharma: The aggressive opener gave the early start in the previous match with a quickfire 31 off 13 balls.
Pakistan
 |  |  |
| Salman Agha | Shaheen Shah Afridi | Fakhar Zaman |
- Shaheen Shah Afridi: The left-arm pacer was their standout performer in the first match, scoring 33 off 16 balls with the bat. However, Pakistan would want Afridi to perform with the ball as well.
- Fakhar Zaman: His aggressive batting style could set the tone for Pakistan’s innings.
- Salman Agha: The captain needs to lead from the front and improve Pakistan’s middle-order performance which seems to be struggling right now.
Team Changes and Squad News
India are likely to stick with their winning combination from the previous match. Their balanced attack with three spinners and two pace options worked perfectly.
Pakistan may consider bringing back Haris Rauf to strengthen their pace attack, though they might stick with the spin-heavy approach that has served them well in UAE conditions.
Predicted Lineups
- India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav
- Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed
Tactical Insights
India will look to replicate their successful formula from the previous encounter – early wickets with pace, spin control in middle overs, and aggressive batting approach. Their confidence from the dominant victory will be a major factor.
Pakistan needs to address their batting collapses in the middle overs. They must find ways to rotate strike against India’s quality spin attack and avoid the dot-ball pressure that strangled them in the group match. Building partnerships will be crucial. The key battle will be Pakistan’s batting against India’s spin trio of Kuldeep, Chakravarthy, and Axar, who collectively dominated the previous encounter.
Win Prediction
Despite this being a Super Four match where pressure can create surprises, India’s recent dominance over Pakistan and their superior team balance make them clear favorites. Pakistan’s batting weaknesses were thoroughly exposed in their previous meeting, managing just 127/9. While they may have worked on their approach, India’s bowling attack remains unchanged and equally threatening.
The psychological advantage of the recent victory, combined with India’s superior depth and form throughout the tournament, strongly favors the defending champions.
- Prediction: India to win by 25-30 runs
India should extend their dominance over Pakistan with another convincing victory. Pakistan will need a remarkable turnaround to challenge India’s current supremacy in this rivalry.