Pakistan qualified for the Asia Cup 2025 final after beating Bangladesh by 11 runs in their last Super Four match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday (September 25).

In the title clash, the Men in Green will lock horns with arch-rivals India, who are yet to lost a match in the ongoing continental event.

This will be the first Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan in the 41-year history of the tournament, which started way back in 1984.

Ahead of the summit clash, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi have fired a stern warning to the Suryakumar Yadav-led side.

Pakistan have lost their last seven matches to India across ODIs and T20Is, including twice in the Asia Cup by seven wickets and six wickets.

However, captain Salman expressed confidence in his ability to beat any side after winning the low-scoring thriller against Bangladesh.

“Very excited. We know what we need to do, and we are a good enough team to beat anyone, and we will come on Sunday and try to beat them,” Salman said in the post-match presser when asked about the final against India.

Shaheen, who earned the Player-of-the-Match award for his three wickets and a quick-fire 19 against Bangladesh, also sent a message to the Men in Blue. “We are ready,” Shaheen said after collecting his award.

It’s not going to be easy by any imagination for Pakistan, who have lost all seven international matches to India since 2022. After beating them in the Super 4 contest, Indian captain Suryakumar also urged the media personnel to stop referring to the matches against Pakistan as a “rivalry.”

After beating Pakistan in the Super 4 match, Suryakumar Yadav had downplayed the idea of a rivalry between two sides, citing the lop-sided affairs in India’s favour over the last few years.

"Sir, my request is that we should now stop calling India vs Pakistan matches a rivalry. Sir, rivalry and standard are all the same. Now what is a rivalry? If two teams have played 15 matches and it's 8-7, that's a rivalry. Here it's 13-1 (12-3) or something. There is no contest," Surya had responded when a question on the gulf between the two teams was thrown at him by a senior Pakistani journalist.