When India swept Pakistan 3-0 in the Asia Cup, the scoreline told only half the story. Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan improved with each outing. The defeats shrank from seven wickets to six and then five — the final margin barely reflecting how fiercely contested that clash was. It took a special knock from Tilak Varma to halt what felt like a slow-burning Pakistani resurgence.

Now, as the rivals meet again, the narrative splits in two. India’s commanding 13-3 overall edge and 7-1 World Cup dominance loom large, but this Pakistan side is not the one that faltered in Dubai last September. They’ve added the intriguing Usman Tariq, whose pause-and-deliver action has quickly earned “trump card” status in cricket circles.

On the eve of the clash, India captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged Pakistan’s recent uptick in form. His measured tone contrasts with his earlier take on rivalry — that true rivalries demand balanced head-to-head numbers. The subtext? Past records offer little psychological comfort in high-pressure games like these.

For Pakistan, beating India remains the ultimate prize. India, meanwhile, may welcome back Abhishek Sharma, potentially resolving their only lingering concern at the top of the order. Interestingly, Agha openly expressed hope that Abhishek plays, keen to test his side against India’s best.

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Tactically, there’s a fresh twist. Traditionally framed as India’s batting versus Pakistan’s pace, this contest could now hinge on spin. Pakistan recently fielded five spinners — including Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz — with only Shaheen Afridi as the lone frontline pacer.

While Pakistan have been stationed in Colombo longer, both teams will play at R. Premadasa Stadium for the first time this tournament, neutralizing any real home advantage.

In India-Pakistan clashes, history often dissolves under pressure. The real decider is composure — who handles the P-factor better. As Suryakumar put it, “it’s just another game.” In this rivalry, that might be the biggest understatement of all.

India

India have received a timely boost ahead of the marquee clash, with Abhishek Sharma regaining full fitness and likely to return to the playing XI. The final call on including wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav will be taken closer to toss, depending on pitch conditions and team balance.

Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

Pakistan

Meanwhile, are expected to double down on their spin-heavy strategy. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq is being projected as the trump card, with a possible five-spinner combination. Shaheen Afridi may lead the pace attack, supported by Faheem Ashraf as the secondary seamer.

Probable XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Tariq and, Abrar Ahmed