The Asia Cup 2025 is all set to kick off on September 9, and one of the most-awaited clashes of the tournament is between India and Pakistan. The two neighbours will fight it out on September 14, and we can expect some quality action.
Pakistan, though, have a bit of inexperience in their squad this time around and thus they would need to be at their best to beat the mighty Indian unit. Many of their players will play against India for the first time in their careers. Thus, in this article, we will look at three of those youngsters.
Saim Ayub
Saim Ayub is one of the rising stars in Pakistan cricket and will be playing his first-ever game against India. He has played 56 international matches so far across formats and has emerged as one of the top Pakistan batters.
Saim Ayub In T20Is
Criterion
Data
Innings
34
Runs
705
Average
22.03
Strike-Rate
137.15
The Asia Cup is now an opportunity for him to further increase his stature and deliver against a strong team like India. He is one of the few Pakistan players who likes to play aggressive cricket from the onset, and along with his batting, he is a handy bowler too. Thus, Saim Ayub will be a key player for Pakistan in the Asia Cup, and all eyes will be on how he handles the pressure against India.
Sahibzada Farhan, the right-handed batter, has emerged as a front-runner to open with Saim Ayub in the Asia Cup 2025. He has scored two fifties for Pakistan in T20Is recently, one against Bangladesh and another against the West Indies.
Sahibzada Farhan in T20Is
Criterion
Data
Innings
15
Runs
315
Average
21.00
Strike-Rate
127.01
He has been very consistent in domestic cricket as well and has the ability to hit big hundreds in the shortest format. Overall, he has played 15 T20Is for Pakistan so far, and the 29-year-old now has an opportunity to impress in his first-ever game against arch-rivals on the big stage of the Asia Cup.
Sufiyaan Muqeem
Sufiyan Muqeem, the left-arm wrist spinner, has been pretty impressive in the limited opportunities he has had so far. He has emerged as a genuine wicket-taker and has at least one dismissal to his name in 12 out of the 13 matches he has played so far.
Sufiyan Muqeem in T20Is
Criterion
Data
Innings
13
Wickets
21
Average
11.95
Economy Rate
5.74
He would also be playing his first game against India, and could prove to be a difference against the batters who have never played against him before. The conditions in the UAE could also help his cause, and thus, he would be one of the first-timers to watch out against India.
Saim Ayub for Pakistan (Source: AFP).jpg)
