Former Pakistani players Shoaib Akhtar, Misbah Ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, and others gave their predictions on the upcoming India vs. Pakistan Asia Cup match on September 14, 2025. The majority of the ex-Men in Green cricketers backed India to defeat Pakistan, showing little hope for their own team.

The days when India and Pakistan were evenly matched on the cricket field are long gone. The situation across the border is so bad that the selectors couldn't even create an XI that can honor their cricketing heritage, as Indian players battle fiercely for a single spot in the national squad.

Ahead of the game, former Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Misbah Ul Haq discussed the game on a TV show, where they both praised India’s strong batting lineup but also talked about where their team can get a chance.

Misbah said that if Pakistan’s bowlers can take early wickets, then India’s middle order could be tested.

Shoaib interrupted him with a smile. “Not to counter your argument, please forgive me. Now India has Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Verma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jitesh Sharma … You can’t run through this team,” Akhtar said on the show Game on Hai.

Misbah then cracked a joke, “But Gyarah hi khelenge na lekin?! (Only 11 can play, right?)”

Shoaib then replied, “You can’t run through this team. Thinking Virat is not there and the middle order can be tested. My whole argument is that this is the strongest middle order India has ever produced. If I stretch it far, as far as making a statement, I think they would like to play Afghanistan in the finals. Pakistan has to put the A game forward.”

However, Misbah emphasized that if they attack early, Pakistan still has a chance.

“If India loses a couple of early wickets, they don’t have Virat Kohli. Their batting too is different. And they haven’t played this kind of bowler. So, Pakistan has that opportunity. You have to create that hole at the start, but that’s the thing—a good start is needed,” he said.

Even though they are rookies who haven't played much international cricket, the Indian players exude confidence on the field, according to former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.

"You should see the body language of even the new players that come into the (Indian) team. They brim with confidence. They come ready; they have already played a hundred games in a full house, and they have already shared the dressing room with international stars. They don't have pressure or fear and are full of confidence. Even their B team can win the Asia Cup," Afridi said in a show on the Pakistani YouTube channel BKH Reacts.

Former captains Ramiz Raja and Shoaib Malik, meanwhile, believe that Pakistan would be forced to face reality during the encounter against India, which will clearly define the team's place in the world of cricket.

"They (Pakistan) need nothing less than a miracle to beat India," says Ramiz Raja on News24.

Shoaib Malik opined, "The games against India will be a reality check, showing where it stands in world cricket."

The India and Pakistan game will certainly be an exciting one, with crowds filling the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.