Watch: Fired-up Gautam Gambhir turns up the heat in India’s pre-match huddle vs Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Ahead of India’s much-awaited Group A showdown against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, head coach Gautam Gambhir made headlines with a passionate, no-nonsense pep talk that fired up his players on the ground.

Known for his intensity during his playing days, Gambhir reminded the team during the pre-match huddle that this clash in Dubai was not just another fixture but a test of pride, resilience, and composure.

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By the time the two teams took the field at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, the intensity was palpable.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha won the toss and surprised many by opting to bat first on a venue that usually favours chasing.



“We've been playing good cricket, very excited. Looks like a slow wicket. Just want to bat first and put runs on the board. Have been here for 20-odd days and used to the conditions,” Agha explained.

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who turned 35 on match day, said he was content to bowl first.

“We were looking to bowl first, happy with it. We played just one strip away, which was a nice wicket and better to bat on in the night. It's humid, so hoping for some dew,” he noted.

Both sides fielded unchanged elevens from their opening wins; India having thrashed UAE by nine wickets and Pakistan hammering Oman by 93 runs.

IND vs PAK playing XIs

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakaravarthy

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Abrar Ahmed
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