Ahead of the upcoming clash, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson grabbed headlines by calling Mohammad Nawaz the best spinner in the world.
India vs Pakistan: Asia Cup 2025 Set for a Thrilling Encounter
India is set to face Pakistan in their 2025 Asia Cup clash on Sunday in Dubai. Both teams began their campaigns with wins, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling contest. For India, this match marks a new chapter in the rivalry, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma absent following their Test retirements.
Ahead of the game, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson grabbed headlines by praising Mohammad Nawaz as the world’s best spinner. “I guess the beauty of our side is we’ve got five spinners. We’ve got Mohammad Nawaz, who’s the best spin bowler in the world at the moment, and he’s been ranked that way over the last six months since he’s come back on the side,” Mike Hesson said.
Ryan ten Doeschate on Spin Importance and Player Rankings Ahead of India-Pakistan Clash
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate responded to Mike Hesson’s remarks by emphasizing that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
“I think spinners are going to be very important in this competition. If anything, I don’t think it has gripped as much as we anticipated and certainly not like it did earlier in the year when we were here. But spin in general has become a very important part of T20 cricket, and both teams have a lot of spin on offer. And certainly we know how we feel about Varun, Axar and Kuldeep, so everyone’s entitled to their opinion, and they can rank their players wherever they wish,” he said during the pre-match press conference.
The match has also drawn criticism from some fans due to the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, which killed 26 civilians and prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps in Pakistan and PoK.
In their opener against UAE, India opted for three spinners—Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel—while Jasprit Bumrah led as the specialist pacer. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube were deployed as the all-rounders.