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"Close the game at the top" Aakash Chopra’s powerplay mantra for IND before Asia Cup final

Sakshi Sharma

Aakash Chopra on Indian Team (Source: AFP)Aakash Chopra on Indian Team (Source: AFP)

As India prepares to face Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final on Sunday (September 28, 2025), former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has called on the Men in Blue to dominate from the very beginning, specifically, within the first six overs. 

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, he emphasised that India’s best chance to control the match lies in winning the powerplay, especially against a Pakistan side that, he claims, struggles to recover from early setbacks.

“Win the power play and control the match,” Chopra stated. “Many times you have to close the match later, but against Pakistan, you just close the game right at the top, and if you do that, you will be in a very good space.”

He also mentioned that both the teams have contrasting mindsets. He pointed out that, India have the resilience to bounce back from a poor start, but Pakistan, in his view, do not possess that depth or composure.

“If you see against Sri Lanka, our power play wasn’t great with the ball, but India made a strong comeback after that,” Chopra noted. “However, Pakistan is a team that runs on momentum. If you stop them in the power play, this team usually does not recover.”

Shaheen’s impact hinges on early success, says Chopra

Focusing on Pakistan’s ace pacer Shaheen Afridi, Chopra explained that his influence on the game decreases rapidly if he does not claim early breakthroughs.

“If you don’t give them wickets at the start, Shaheen Afridi’s performance has improved slightly, but if you don’t give him wickets with the new ball, his situation turns bad," Chopra said.

Chopra concluded with a clear message: the first six overs could very well decide the fate of the Asia Cup final.

The summit clash on Sunday will be the third time in this tournament that India and Pakistan will face each other in the ongoing prestigious tournament. India have already established psychological and tactical superiority over Pakistan, securing victories in both the Group A encounter (by 7 wickets) and the Super 4s (by 6 wicket).