Dubai, Sep 27: The stage is set for Sunday’s high-voltage Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan, and much of the focus is on the 22 yards at the Dubai International Stadium.
Traditionally, Dubai has offered slightly slower tracks compared to Abu Dhabi, but Friday’s India–Sri Lanka clash produced a surface tailor-made for stroke-play. With the same pitch expected to be used for the final, batsmen could once again find value for their shots, though there will still be something on offer for the bowlers.
Both teams boast versatile bowling line-ups capable of adjusting to the conditions — India banking on spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, while Pakistan rely heavily on Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf’s pace burst with the new ball.
Weather, as always in the Gulf, will be a factor. Temperatures are forecast to touch 40°C during the day, cooling to around 31°C in the evening when the match gets underway. Fitness and hydration will play as big a role as skill.
One element largely absent from the tournament so far has been dew, which means batting second hasn’t carried a significant disadvantage. That makes the toss pivotal, with captains expected to weigh up the balance between setting a total under scoreboard pressure or chasing in relatively stable conditions.
As the cricketing world waits for the first-ever India–Pakistan Asia Cup final, the pitch and weather in Dubai promise a fair contest between bat and ball, leaving the result entirely in the hands of two fiercely competitive teams. (Agencies)
