Pakistan set to challenge IND's T20I dominance; Can Surya and Co. hold on

The Men in Blue, since 2024, out of the 33 matches they have played, have only lost three games, which makes them the clear favourites to win the final

The long-standing cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan will write a new chapter when the two arch-rivals, for the first time ever, meet in the final of the Asia Cup this coming Sunday. India have so far defeated Pakistan twice in the Asia Cup 2025 — once in the group stage and then again in the Super 4 — but it will again be anybody’s game when they take the field for the title clash.

 

If we are to talk about long-standing form, India have been one of the most dominant forces in T20I cricket since 2024, as out of the 33 matches they have played, they have only lost three games, which makes them the clear favourites to win the final. 

India’s T20I dominance

Since 2024, India have played six T20I bilateral series and two multi-nation tournaments. India started their 2024 season with a 3-0 series win over Afghanistan, followed by an unbeaten run in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, where India also beat Pakistan in the group stages. India then registered a 4-1 win against Zimbabwe, 3-0 wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, a 3-1 win over South Africa, a 4-1 win over England, and finally, they are six matches unbeaten in the Asia Cup 2025 — meaning India’s last T20I loss came against England back on January 28, 2025, when England beat them by 26 runs.

No rivalry with Pak: Indian skipper

After defeating Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 stage and taking their head-to-head record to 12-3, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, in the post-match presser, said that we cannot say India has any rivalry with Pakistan as they are miles ahead in the head-to-head numbers. But if we look at the data, it’s not just Pakistan — India have maintained their dominance over every team they have faced in recent times, making Pakistan the ultimate underdogs in the Asia Cup 2025 final.

Injury concern for India

While India are on a dominant run, they have suffered a major setback ahead of the final against Pakistan on Sunday, as their premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya has suffered a muscle injury during their last game against Sri Lanka. While the all-rounder has not been ruled out of the match, it will be a concern that even if he plays, he may not be at 100 per cent.

 

Notably, India also lost the services of Hardik Pandya in the 2023 ODI World Cup, disrupting their team combination. While Shami fulfilled the spot of a bowler completely, India definitely struggled by missing a hard-hitting batter lower down the order.

Men in Blue still the favourites despite recent hiccups

When the Asia Cup 2025 started, India looked like a force to reckon with — they were top-notch in all departments. However, that has not been the case since the Super 4 stage. India’s fielding has been sub-par, and they have dropped catches in bunches. Also, in their last game against Sri Lanka, they were pushed to the Super Over, which will give Pakistan some relief that they can conquer the giants in the final. But given the off-the-field scenario regarding the India vs Pakistan rivalry right now, India will not take things for granted and will walk into the match still favourites, as they have proven time after time that any member of their team can turn the tide of the match on their own. But whatever the case, fans can expect a high-intensity final of the Asia Cup on Sunday.