India and Pakistan will face off in a high-stakes Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday, with political and on-field friction overshadowing their first-ever title clash in the regional tournament.
Pakistan secured their place in the final after edging past Bangladesh by 11 runs on Thursday, setting the stage for a blockbuster meeting with defending champions India.
The showdown comes months after deadly fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have not played a bilateral series in over a decade.
Their most recent meetings in the group stage and Super Four round of this Asia Cup saw India skipper Suryakumar Yadav refusing to shake hands with counterpart Salman Agha.
Players from both sides also skipped post-match handshakes after the first and second encounters.
India comfortably won both the games, stretching their unbeaten run against Pakistan to seven matches dating back to 2022 – three one-day internationals and four T20Is. India lead 12-3 in T20 matches.
In the Super Four clash, opener Sahibzada Farhan mimicked a gun celebration after his half-century, while pacer Haris Rauf made gestures appearing to mock India's military action during the four-day border conflict in May that left more than 70 people dead.
"Look, my message to the players is just focus on cricket and that certainly we will be doing," said Pakistan coach Mike Hesson after the team's narrow win over Bangladesh.
"In terms of gestures there has always been passion in terms of high-pressure games."
India, the reigning T20 world champions, remain tournament favourites.
'RING OF FIRE'
They have won all five of their matches in this 17th edition of the Asia Cup, played in the T20 format, and are chasing a record-extending ninth title.
Opener Abhishek Sharma has been in scintillating form with successive half-centuries, while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav leads the bowling charts with 12 wickets.
But their fielding has been suspect, with 12 dropped catches in the tournament so far.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy blamed the "ring of fire" created by the stadium's 350 floodlights for the butter-fingered display.
"We have to pick up our fielding, and definitely, the fielding coach has a lot to say," Chakravarthy said.
India, who won the 50-over Asia Cup in the previous edition, play Sri Lanka in an inconsequential Super Four match in Dubai on Friday.
Pakistan, two-time Asia Cup champions, will rely on their pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rauf to provide early breakthroughs, while spinners Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz will aim to contain India's powerful batting line-up.
Their batting, however, remains a concern after collapsing to 49-5 against Bangladesh before recovering to post 135-8 which proved to be a winning total.
Suryakumar downplayed the on-field rivalry after hammering Pakistan for the second time in the tournament, but Hesson believes his team can throw up a challenge to the No 1 ranked T20 side.
The Asia Cup is being widely seen as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March.
