Dubai

Tickets for the much-awaited Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday have been completely sold out.

Organisers told Geo News that the 28,000-seater stadium will be fully packed with fans filling every spot for the high-voltage clash.

In their previous encounters in the tournament, the two arch-rivals have attracted huge numbers, with 20,000 spectators filling up the stadium for the group match on September 14 and 17,000 for the Super Four clash on September 21, according to Geo News.

Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has tipped India as favourites to land the Asia Cup title, but he urged Salman Agha's men to carry the confidence and momentum from the win over Bangladesh in the Super 4s into Sunday’s final.

Pakistan defended a modest target of 136 against Bangladesh on Thursday to set up a final date against India.

“I hope so (Pakistan's bowling comes to the fore on Sunday too), and look, it's an India-Pakistan game. India definitely is favourite on Sunday,” Akram told reporters in a recent interaction.

“But you guys have seen, cricket lovers have seen, I have seen, anything can happen in this format. One good innings, one spell can change the course of the game.

“Pakistan team should take this confidence, this momentum to Sunday and back themselves and play sensible cricket,” he added.

The left-arm pace great said Pakistan can test India’s middle-order if their new-ball attack delivers early breakthroughs especially by seeing the back of openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma.

Gill and Abhishek had stitched a 105-run partnership in the Super 4s match against Pakistan on September 21.

“Ideally, a couple of early wickets, especially Abhishek and Gill, that can definitely put India on a back-foot. It should be a close game and I hope in the end, the best team will win,” he added.

The final in Dubai will be the first-ever India-Pakistan summit clash in the 41-year history of Asia Cup, adding another chapter to cricket’s most intense rivalry.

Forty-one years have passed since the inaugural Asia Cup in 1984, and for the first time, India and Pakistan have reached the final together.

In both encounters at the Asia Cup 2025, India has decisively defeated Pakistan.

Pakistan has lost 12 of its 15 T20I matches against India.

Skipper Salman Agha and his troops almost crashed out after Bangladesh had them in a corner during their Super Fours fixture.

However, Pakistan managed to win by 11 runs and advance to the final.

Before the final, India had an injury scare with Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya suffering from cramps during the final Super Fours contest against Sri Lanka.

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They spent the majority of the parts on the sidelines but have been declared fit before the rivalry clash.

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.