IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025: Why Salman Agha’s Toss call might Backfire Pakistan

The stage is set at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries – India vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025. Emotions are high, fans are buzzing, and the match is already throwing up surprises.

Pakistan Win Toss, Opt to Bat – But Is It the Right Call?

Pakistan captain Salman Agha won the toss and, surprisingly, elected to bat first. However, this decision may come back to haunt him. The numbers at Dubai under the lights strongly favour teams that bowl first. In fact, the last time a team won a night match at this venue after batting first was back in 2018 – a stat that’s hard to ignore.

Since then, teams bowling first in night games here have enjoyed significantly more success – winning 21 matches compared to just 12 wins for sides batting first. That means Salman Agha’s call could be a gamble – one that might just backfire on the big stage.

Also Watch: IND vs PAK Live Score | 42-2 (5.5): Pakistan Batters bounces back with some good shots

India Stick With Winning Formula, Arshdeep Singh Left Out

On the Indian side, captain Suryakumar Yadav has shown full confidence in the playing XI that dominated against UAE earlier this week. The only notable point? Arshdeep Singh, one of India’s top T20 pacers, remains out of the squad for this crucial clash.

Instead, India have opted to go with three spinners – Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel – banking on spin to do the damage on a pitch that could slow down as the game progresses.

Both Teams Unchanged from Previous Matches

Both India and Pakistan have chosen to field unchanged XIs from their respective opening matches. For India, it’s a nod to the all-round performance against UAE. For Pakistan, it’s about consistency – though whether the decision to bat first aligns with that remains to be seen.

India’s Strong Start to Asia Cup 2025

India head into this match full of confidence, having crushed UAE by 9 wickets in their tournament opener. The bowlers, especially Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube, were on fire, bundling out UAE for just 57 runs.

In response, India chased down the target in just 4.3 overs (27 balls) – thanks to an explosive knock from Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 30 off 16, and a composed start from Shubman Gill, who looked in fine touch.