IND vs PAK, Asia Cup 2025: Abhishek Sharma Misses A Dolly As India Drop Early Chance In Super 4 Match

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IND vs PAK: The much-anticipated Super Four clash between India and Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup got underway on Sunday, September 21, at the Dubai International Stadium, with drama unfolding right from the start.

Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to field first, but India's plans for early breakthroughs hit a stumbling block when Abhishek Sharma put down a straightforward chance.

The moment came in the opening stages of Pakistan's innings in the 3rd ball of the 1st innings. Hardik Pandya delivered a full ball outside off that swung away, tempting Sahibzada Farhan into an ambitious swipe across the line. The shot produced a thick edge that flew towards third man, where Abhishek was stationed. All he needed was to move forward a few steps, but he completely misjudged the flight of the ball. Forced into a late dive, he couldn't cling on, and Farhan was handed a reprieve at 0.

This missed opportunity meant India failed to seize early control despite putting Pakistan under pressure with the new ball. Such lapses in high-stakes encounters often prove costly, especially in a contest that carries the weight of intense rivalry and high expectations.

At the toss, Suryakumar Yadav had made his intentions clear, saying: "We'll bowl first. Looks a nice track and yesterday there was dew. Since first round we were thinking we're playing a knockout tournament, nothing changes. That was a completely different wicket (in Abu Dhabi). Quite normal, just another game." India made two changes, bringing back Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy in place of Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha admitted he too would have preferred to bowl first. "Would've bowled first as well. It's a new game, new challenge. The mood is very normal. Pitch looks to be on the slower side. Want to start well with both bat and ball," he said. Pakistan also shuffled their lineup, leaving out Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah.

With a dropped chance already setting the tone, fans can expect a gripping contest as the two arch-rivals aim to outdo each other in this crucial Super Four battle.

At the time of writing this article, Pakistan were batting at 26/1 after 3 overs of play. India finally got their wicket as Fakhar Zaman edged Hardik Pandya's delivery to Sanju Samson in the 3rd over.