IND vs PAK / India won the toss and elected to bowl first in the Asia Cup final - see their playing 11

IND vs PAK: In the final of the Asia Cup 2025, India and Pakistan face each other once again. This is the first time in the history of the tournament that the two arch-rivals are clashing in the final. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision considered strategically crucial in this high-voltage contest.

Team Changes

India has made three major changes in their playing XI. Hardik Pandya (due to injury), Harshit Rana, and Arshdeep Singh, who played in the last match, have been left out. In their place, Jasprit Bumrah, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh have been included. On the other hand, Pakistan has made no changes and will play with the same balanced side that took them to the final.

Playing XI of Both Teams

• India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

• Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf.

Tournament Performance So Far

This is the third time India and Pakistan are facing each other in this tournament, with India winning both of the previous encounters. India’s batting and bowling have both been impressive, especially the batting of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill, along with the fiery bowling of Jasprit Bumrah, which has troubled opponents. Pakistan, meanwhile, will rely heavily on the pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, combined with the aggressive batting of Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman.

Live Updates and Commentary

Before the match begins, both teams look fully prepared. India’s strategy is clear — to bowl first, restrict Pakistan to a low total, and then chase it with their strong batting lineup. The return of Jasprit Bumrah has further strengthened India’s bowling attack, while Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube add firepower to the middle order.

Pakistan, however, will look to create history by winning this final. After the toss, captain Salman Ali Agha said, “Our team is balanced, and we are ready to give our best performance on this big occasion.”