Jamal Robinson, who achieved his dream of retirement in 2024 and pays himself a whopping £138,000 a year, has revealed what he forks out to live in a “premium” area of Dubai “right off the beach”
Jamal Robinson achieved his dream of retirement in 2024 (Image: Facebook)
Jamal Robinson, who decided that he wanted to retire early when he was just a teenager, went from working as a church janitor to a position at Taco Bell for minimum wage, but would ultimately secure roles at Microsoft, IBM, and Amazon.
Jamal, who at the time of speaking was 40, achieved his dream of retirement in 2024. He’s now living as a US expat in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and has managed to save a cash pot worth nearly $4million (about £3m).
A former executive director of generative AI at Microsoft, Jamal accumulated millions in savings and investments and pays himself a staggering figure of about £11,500 every month.
Jamal told CNBC Make It: “What I love most about Dubai is it really caters to people that have been retired and are looking for a lot of services and activities.”
He continued: “I found that, most often, the things that were promised to me in America actually existed here. So, the levels of safety, the levels of like integration of people into society where everyone’s accepted.”
Jamal revealed that he pays himself roughly $15,400 per month (about £11,500), but he tends to spend around $9,000 (£6,700), usually allowing himself around $2,000 for food (£1,500).
A chart displayed Jamal’s spending for December 2024 (which he conceded was a “unique” month). Among his outgoings were $4,429 (about £3,300) for rent, $2,840 ($2,100) for health and wellness, and a discretionary fund of $1,549 (£1,160).
He claimed that Dubai is “actually much cheaper” for him than the majority of the major US cities in which he’s lived. Jamal added that the UAE city allows people to live the “kind of lifestyle” they want and accommodates “a lot” of price points.
A city synonymous with luxury, Dubai is also a popular holiday destination and global hub for leisure and business. Home to more than 200 nationalities, it also boasts the tallest building in the world, the 828-metre Burj Khalifa.
In addition, curious visitors can take advantage of its luxurious malls and traditional souks, and, in further evidence of its wealth, you may even spot the police driving supercars.
According to the Telegraph, it’s expensive to live in Dubai, and expats will have to pay for medical insurance. Despite this, there’s no income tax imposed on people, meaning you keep more of the cash you earn.
It reports that, as of June 2024 (according to figures by CBRE), average yearly rents for apartments and villas were AED 56,000 (about £11,265) and AED 166,000 (£33,393). It also stated that the average salary of someone living in Dubai was £54,647.
India’s cricket team hoisted an imaginary trophy after winning the 2025 Asia Cup against Pakistan, refusing to accept the real one from Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The match came four months after a brief aerial war between the two nuclear-armed rivals over a deadly attack on a tourist area in Indian-administered Kashmir.
A BRITISH grandad and veteran suffering from cancer has been left homeless and starving in Dubai after being arrested for a crime he’d been acquitted of a decade earlier.
John Murphy, who served in the British military before building a life in the UAE, was arrested a decade earlier over allegations of being offensive to hotel security.
The 59-year-old’s lawyers said he should have walked free but he was jailed awaiting trial.
In the interim period, John’s landlord sued him for rent arrears that piled up during his detention.
His belongings were seized, a travel ban imposed, and his passport withheld.
The travel ban imposed on him has also never been lifted.
For nearly 10 years he has been trapped in Dubai, unable to work and unable to leave, putting John in an ‘inescapable legal limbo’.
John’s lawyers now say he has been ‘literally starving’.
The grandfather has been forced to sleep on public transport and wash in shopping centre toilets, according to his legal contacts.
“I haven’t eaten in four days,” Murphy said in a message sent from Dubai.
“I’ve been on the streets for three weeks.
“I try to ride the metro all day to rest, but security chase me away.
Brit student in Dubai jail facing 25 YEARS for ‘single line of cocaine’ after being ‘busted at party’, cell mate reveals
“I wash in mall toilets, I’ve been in the same clothes for weeks, and my health is failing.
“I need urgent cancer treatment and dental care, but I have nowhere to turn.”
Despite homelessness being illegal in the UAE, when John attempted to surrender to the police, they refused to arrest him.
He has been surviving on public transport, caught between a rock and a hard place – unable to leave, unable to work, unable to resolve his debts.
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British granddad John Murphy has been trapped in Dubai for a decadeCredit: SWNS
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai said John’s situation was “outrageous”.
“John was found innocent, yet ten years later he is starving on the streets, denied cancer treatment, food, or shelter,” she said.
“This is the direct result of a system that criminalises debt and traps people in a cycle of poverty and despair.
“They won’t let him leave, and they won’t even arrest him. He is being left to die in plain sight.”
A friend of John’s has launched a GoFundMe page and appealed directly to both the British and Irish embassies for help.
To date, neither has secured his release.
“The Trump administration successfully repatriated a number of American citizens from the UAE,” Stirling added.
“It is disappointing that Britain and Ireland have not stepped in to save John Murphy.
“He is a veteran, a grandfather, and he has already suffered enough.
Cricket players, fans, experts and officials must let the sport return to a “moment of sanity” when India and Pakistan meet in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, says former player and administrator Ramiz Raja.
Millions of fans – in both South Asian countries and across the world – will watch and follow the game with bated breath as the heated rivalry unfolds at Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the third time in 15 days.
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“The temperature must be lowered and all eyes should be on the game of cricket,” Raja told Al Jazeera on the eve of the final.
“It is not only the responsibility of the cricket boards and players but also the fans, stakeholders, and social media commentators to demonstrate astuteness because the emotions are still raw. Everyone needs a moment of sanity.”
The fallout of mixing politics with cricket
The build-up to the final has been dominated by actions that have little to do with the sport itself – be it a no-handshake row, politically loaded statements, controversial gesturing or complaints lodged with the game’s governing body, which responded by giving both sides a slap on the wrist.
The match will be played in the aftermath of disciplinary hearings, which were carried out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged complaints over the rival players’ statements and gestures.
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav was the first to appear for a hearing at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Thursday. The PCB took objection to his mention of “Operation Sindoor” – the military operation carried out by India’s armed forces in Pakistan in May – during his post-match comments following India’s seven-wicket win on September 14.
Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf were also summoned to the ICC headquarters on Friday for their gestures during the second meeting between the two sides on September 21, when India won the Super Fours fixture by six wickets.
Farhan mimicked a gunshot to celebrate his maiden half-century against India, and Rauf was seen responding to the crowd’s heckling by gesturing the downing of aircraft and holding up his fingers to represent the number six, an alleged reference to Pakistan’s claims of downing six Indian air force planes during the four-day conflict.
ICC match referee Richie Richardson conducted the hearings.
Al Jazeera understands that Yadav and Rauf were handed a fine of 30 percent of their respective match fee, while Farhan was let off with a warning by Richardson.
The ICC has not officially announced the sanctions. Al Jazeera reached out to the ICC for a comment on the hearings, but has not received a response.
With the off-field theatrics dealt with, Raja believes the attention must return to the on-field action.
“The ICC’s decision to fine players on both sides must have reduced the pressure on them [players] and helped redefine the rules of engagement [for the final],” he explained.
Raja, who has also been at the helm of the PCB in the past, said the circumstances turned grave in the aftermath of Yadav’s comments and the Pakistani players’ gestures, and it was a turmoil that both parties could have avoided.
The match on Sunday will mark the first India vs Pakistan final in the Asia Cup – a fateful meeting that organisers, broadcasters and sponsors may have dreamt of in the 31 years since the tournament’s inception but were never able to pull off in its 15 iterations.
Bilateral cricket series and tours remain suspended between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, and any meeting at an ICC event or regional competition is a highly anticipated affair.
Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, right, and India’s Abhishek Sharma, second left, were involved in an on-field altercation during their match on September 21 [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
‘Attention must return to cricket’
Raja, also a former Pakistan captain, has called on the players to refrain from letting the political tensions boil over onto the cricket field.
“It [mixing politics with sport] takes away the innocence of cricketers, as they are not geared to engage in political rhetoric,” he said.
Raja played 38 international matches against India in a career spanning from 1984 to 1997.
“It is an unfamiliar territory for them [players]. They do not know how much and what needs to be said.”
Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha cut a picture of calm before the proverbial storm on Saturday, when he took questions from the media before the final.
He chose not to comment on the provocative questions about the Indian team and media, while reiterating his stance on playing “good cricket” in the final.
Meanwhile, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel, who spoke to the media late on Friday, also anticipated a tough fight between bat and ball.
“Let’s look forward to the battle on Sunday.”
Raja agreed and said the conversation should move on.
“The debate should be whether Pakistan will lift their game [in the final] or if it will be a third-time malfunction [against India].”
India have remained unbeaten on their way to the final, while Pakistan’s only defeats in the tournament have come against India.
Pakistan have now lost seven international matches to India, whom they last beat in September 2022.
Despite the one-sided results in recent years, India vs Pakistan remains the hottest-selling item in international cricket, and Raja believes politics has a lot to do with it.
“The entire world waits for this contest not because of the skill levels of the players or the quality of contest, but due to the political needle between these two countries,” he said.
On Sunday, though, Raja hopes the attention will return to the sport when India and Pakistan meet to write yet another historic chapter in their bitter rivalry.
Bangladesh crumble as Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf take three wickets each in Super Fours match in Dubai.
Pakistan have set up a blockbuster Asia Cup 2025 final against archrivals India after defeating Bangladesh by 11 runs in a thrilling Super Fours match in Dubai.
Chasing 136 to win in a winners-take-all match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, Bangladesh’s batting collapsed dramatically in front of Pakistan’s pace bowling attack, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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Once Pakistan took the field after posting a meagre total of 135-8 in 20 overs, Afridi put on an authoritative display of fast bowling by picking up two wickets in his first two overs and ended with match figures of 3-17 in four overs.
Fellow pacer Haris Rauf contributed with three wickets of his own, two of which helped wrap up Bangladesh’s innings, while part-time, left-armed slow bowler Saim Ayub bowled a tidy spell of 2-16 from four overs.
Bangladesh opener Saif Hasan (18) formed brief partnerships with Mahedi Hasan (11) and Nurul Hasan (16), but none of the batting stands lasted long enough to see the team through.
Some late resistance by lower middle order batter Shamim Hossain (30) briefly raised the hopes of Bangladeshi fans, but once Shamim became Afridi’s third victim in the 17th over, Pakistan became clear favourites to wrap up the win.
Rishad Hossain, who had an excellent outing with the ball and in the field, hit two fours and a six in his innings of 16 but kept losing batting partners as Bangladesh’s innings came to a close on 124-9 in 20 overs.
Earlier, when Pakistan were sent in to bat by Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Jaker Ali, the decision paid off almost instantly as the Pakistani openers struggled to score runs.
Taskin Ahmed’s disciplined opening spell led to the dismissal of Sahibzada Farhan on the fourth ball of Pakistan’s innings while one-down batter Ayub fell in the next over to Mahedi.
Fakhar Zaman (13) and captain Salman Agha (19) formed a brief and sluggish partnership but could not hit a single six.
Rishad, who took two catches before coming on to bowl, dismissed Zaman in the seventh over and then sent back Hussain Talat in the ninth. Agha fell to Mustafizur Rahman between the two Rishad wickets as Pakistan were reduced to 49-5.
A lower order flourish from Mohammad Haris (31 off 17), Muhammad Nawaz (25 off 15) and Afridi (19 off 13) took Pakistan to 135-8 on a tricky Dubai pitch.
Afridi was named player of the match for his all-round heroics.
Pakistan will be especially delighted to see their premier pace bowler return to wicket-taking form before the final against bitter rivals India on Sunday.
The South Asian neighbours have already met twice in the tournament, and India recorded thumping wins on both occasions.
Sunday’s match, also to be played in Dubai, will be the first India-Pakistan clash in the final of the Asia Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1984.
Tensions have run high, and political standoffs have spilled onto the cricket field in both of the previous two meetings between the teams this month.
Fans can expect another politically charged match, especially with the trophy on the line.
Pakistan will hope it will be a case of third time lucky while India will look to complete a 3-0 drubbing in the tournament.
Who: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka What: T20 Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours When: Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30pm (14:30 GMT) Where: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) How to follow:Al Jazeera Sport will have live build-up from 11:00 GMT ahead of our comprehensive text commentary stream of the match.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka meet in their Super Fours match at the T20 Asia Cup 2025 knowing that a loss in Abu Dhabi could jeopardise their place in the tournament.
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Both former champions have lost their opening games in the second phase of the regional competition, and the match on Tuesday will offer them a chance to revive their campaign for the final.
The top two teams from the round-robin style Super Fours will qualify for the final in Dubai on Sunday.
Bangladesh and India, the other Super Fours teams, each have two points on the board after their respective wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Six-time winners Sri Lanka were edged by the Tigers by four wickets in a closely fought match on Saturday, while Pakistan were handed a second defeat in eight days at the hands of India on Sunday.
Charith Asalanka’s team were unbeaten in Group B and will start as favourites against Pakistan, whom they have beaten in their last five T20 international (T20I) meetings.
For two-time champions Pakistan, the match will offer a chance to restore some pride after their two heavy losses against archrivals India.
Players to watch: Pakistan
Fakhar Zaman: The veteran batter has made a return to the team after a long, injury-forced layoff. And while he hasn’t posted big scores on a consistent basis, Zaman is known to demoralise opposition bowlers once he gets in the flow. The longer the opener stays at the crease, the better Pakistan’s chances of posting a big target or chasing one down.
Abrar Ahmed: The bespectacled leg-spinner has been Pakistan’s most economical bowler in the tournament despite picking up only four wickets in his four Asia Cup games so far. His tight spells often force opposition batters to attack the other bowlers and lose wickets at the other end, making Abrar a key figure in Pakistan’s lineup.
Players to watch: Sri Lanka
Pathum Nissanka: The Sri Lankan opener is enjoying an exceptional run of form and has scored a minimum of 30 runs in 16 of his last 25 innings in T20Is at a strike rate of 124. At the Asia Cup 2025, Nissanka is second on the run-scoring charts with 146 runs in four matches, 27 runs behind India’s exceptional batter Abhishek Sharma.
Wanindu Hasaranga: Hasaranga’s place in the Sri Lankan side has been blighted by frequent injuries, but the leg-spin bowling all-rounder remains a key member of the team. He has taken five wickets in five Asia Cup 2025 matches at an economy rate of under six. Hasaranga enjoys playing against Pakistan and has taken 14 wickets and scored 61 runs in his five matches against the 2012 Asian champions.
Super Fours points table and qualification scenario
India sit on top of the Super Fours table with two points and a net run rate (NRR) of 0.689, followed by Bangladesh, who have the same number of points but an NRR of 0.121.
The winner of Tuesday’s match could rank anywhere from first to third, based on their NRR, and the losing team, while still not out, must win their last match by a big margin and hope the other results go their way.
While Pakistan lead Sri Lanka in their overall T20I results, the Lions have been the dominant team in the format in the past six years.
Pakistan have beaten Sri Lanka 13 out of 23 times, but their last T20I win against the Lions came in 2019.
Form guide: Pakistan
Pakistan have blown hot and cold in the T20 Asia Cup, having won against lower-ranked teams Oman and the UAE while losing both their matches against defending champions India.
As always, it is difficult to predict which Pakistan team – hot or cold – will turn up on match day.
Last five results (most recent first): L W L W W
Form guide: Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka beat all three of their Group B opponents prior to the Super Fours loss against Bangladesh, but have had a mixed bag of results in T20Is in 2025. They beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in their bilateral series but lost 2-1 to Bangladesh a few weeks earlier.
Last five results (most recent first): L W W W W
Team news: Pakistan
Pakistan have, predictably, made a few changes to their playing XIs over the course of the tournament, and not all of them have paid off.
Belligerent batter Hasan Nawaz’s exclusion from the team that faced India on Sunday was met with criticism, especially as the player replacing him – Hussain Talat – did not improve on Nawaz’s performances.
Salman Agha’s team have also switched between playing two spinners and pace bowlers.
Nawaz and spinner Sufiyan Muqeem could return against Sri Lanka.
Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (captain), Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Hasan Nawaz/Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi/Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem
Team news: Sri Lanka
Lower-order batter Kamil Mishara’s spot in the playing XI will be under scrutiny, given his low strike rate and scores in the last three matches. Janith Liyanage could replace Mishara on Tuesday.
Abhishek’s innings helps India chase 172 with seven balls to spare in their Super Fours cricket match against Pakistan in Dubai.
Published On 21 Sep 202521 Sep 2025
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A 105-run opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill helped defending champions India beat Pakistan by six wickets in their Asia Cup Super Four match, a second victory over their archrivals in the Twenty20 cricket tournament.
Put in to bat first in the match on Sunday, Pakistan set India a target of 172, which they reached with seven balls remaining.
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There was no handshake between the teams’ players yet again, with the match played amid lingering tensions between the two nations in the wake of a military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May.
There was clear tension between both sets of players it threatened to bubble over in India’s innings as Pakistan’s fast bowler Haris Rauf appeared to exchage heated words with Sharma and Gill.
Put in to bat first, Pakistan had a 72-run partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub for the second wicket that laid the foundation for its innings after Fakhar Zaman (15) fell early.
Farhan, who was dropped in the first over by Sharma, completed his half-century in 34 balls, steering Pakistan to 91-1 after 10 overs.
But Pakistan could not hit a single boundary in the next six overs as Ayub (21), Hussain Talat (10) and Farhan (58 off 45) got out in quick succession.
Unbeaten knocks from captain Salman Ali Agha (17 off 13) and Faheem Ashraf (20 off 8) added 42 runs in the last three overs to help Pakistan reach a competitive 171-5.
Sharma announced his intentions by hitting Shaheen Shah Afridi for a six on the first ball, and hit four boundaries and four sixes to complete his half-century in 24 balls.
India seemed to be cruising to a quick victory until Gill (47 off 28) was bowled by Faheem Ashraf in the 10th over.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav fell to Haris Rauf (2-26) for a duck in the very next over, and Sharma (74 off 39) was dismissed by Abrar Ahmed soon after, temporarily throttling India’s chase.
But India, who beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the group stage, still got over the line, with Tilak Varma (30 off 19) hitting Afridi for a six and a four in the final two balls of the innings.
Pakistan will face Sri Lanka on Tuesday, with both sides looking for their first win in the Super Four, a day before India play Bangladesh, who beat Sri Lanka on Saturday.
India and Pakistan are keen to avoid controversy ahead of their crucial Super Fours fixture at the Asia Cup 2025, as the political fallout of their previous match continues to overshadow the cricket tournament in Dubai.
Pakistan cancelled their pre-match news conference one hour before its scheduled time on Saturday, while India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav evaded questions on the “no handshake” row when he spoke to the media after his team’s win over Oman on Friday.
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Sunday’s match between the South Asian archrivals will be their second meeting in eight days, with the winner taking a step closer to the tournament’s final on September 28.
While the political statements and off-field actions following the September 14 clash continue to impact preparations for the upcoming Super Fours match, both camps have taken steps to avoid further repercussions and protect the players from controversy.
When Yadav was asked to comment on the handshake row after his team’s last group-stage fixture on Friday evening, he responded by saying: “It [the match] will be a good contest between the ball and the bat.”
He went on to add that he’s asked his players to “shut the noise” ahead of the match against Pakistan.
“Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep,” the India captain said.
“It’s easy to say, but sometimes it is difficult.”
Having made pointedly political statements after his team’s win over Pakistan on Sunday, the 35-year-old chose to steer clear of similar comments a day before their second match.
“We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and with their families, and dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor,” the 35-year-old said when asked if his team’s decision to not shake hands with Pakistani players was against the spirit of cricket.
Yadav was referring to the Indian armed forces’ multiple missile attacks on six locations inside Pakistan.
India said the missiles were in response to the April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir in Pahalgam, in which 26 men were killed. An armed group called The Resistance Front (TRF), which demands independence for Kashmir, claimed responsibility for the attack, but India had alleged Pakistani involvement.
Pakistan denied any role in the attacks and asked for an independent investigation to be carried out.
Two days later, Pakistan responded to the missile strikes by attacking military installations across its frontier with India and Indian-administered Kashmir, striking at least four facilities.
The conflict ended four days later, thanks to an internationally-brokered ceasefire.
While the exchange of aerial fire came to a halt, the diplomatic ties between the neighbours remained suspended, and the political tension spilled over into cricket as India’s players walked off the field without shaking hands with their opposition.
A few moments later, Pakistan’s players trudged off in a group and waited for the Indian squad and support staff to come out and shake hands, as is the norm at the end of cricket matches.
However, the Indian contingent only shook hands with each other before walking into their dressing room and shutting the door as the waiting Pakistan players looked on.
Shortly after the events unfolded, Pakistan’s manager Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a protest against the Indian cricket team’s actions with Andy Pycroft, who is an International Cricket Council (ICC) accredited match referee.
Pakistan alleged that Pycroft did not clearly communicate the Indian team’s decision to not partake in the handshake, an act they termed in contravention of the spirit of cricket.
Pakistan demanded Pycroft’s removal as match referee for their remaining fixtures in the tournament, but later reached an agreement with the ICC and Pycroft went on to officiate Pakistan’s last group game against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday.
The Pakistan-UAE match was delayed by an hour as officials from the ICC and Pakistan’s team management held a meeting at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium before the match.
“The ICC’s match referee, Andy Pycroft, has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistan cricket team,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
“Andy Pycroft termed the September 14 incident a result of miscommunication.”
The PCB also said that the ICC “expressed its willingness to conduct an inquiry into the code of conduct violation that occurred during the September 14 match”, referring to Pycroft’s request to Pakistan and India captains to avoid the customary handshake at the toss, which the PCB alleges contravened the laws of the game.
However, a source within the ICC told Al Jazeera that Pycroft did not apologise to Pakistan and only clarified his position.
The source also said that the ICC had investigated the issue and concluded that it did not warrant action against the Zimbabwean match referee.
The Zimbabwean match official will be in charge of Sunday’s India-Pakistan fixture as well.
Who: India vs Pakistan What: T20 Asia Cup Super Fours When: Sunday, September 21 at 14:30 GMT Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, UAE How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 09:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
It will be a case of “here we go again” as bitter rivals India and Pakistan meet on the cricket field for the second time in eight days at the T20 Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai.
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The stakes will be higher this time as their clash on Sunday takes place in the Super Fours stage, and the winning side will take one step closer to the final, while the losers will move further away from the tournament decider.
India will start as favourites for multiple reasons, not least their seven-wicket thrashing of Pakistan in their Group A match on September 14.
In addition to their status as the ICC’s top-ranked men’s T20 team, Suryakumar Yadav’s side are the tournament’s defending champions and the reigning T20 champions.
For Pakistan, a lot more than two points will be on the line as they will look to put aside not only the embarrassing defeat but also events that transpired following their thumping loss, as India’s players walked off the field without partaking in the customary post-match handshake.
Here’s what you need to know about the match:
What happened in the last India vs Pakistan match?
India stamped their authority on the match with the first ball, as Pakistan’s opener Saim Ayub Ayub was caught out at point off Hardik Pandya’s bowling and wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris followed suit in the next over as India’s star bowler Jasprit Bumrah struck.
It wasn’t until Shaheen Shah Afridi and leg-spin bowler Sufiyan Muqeem hit four fours and two sixes that Pakistan crossed the 100-run mark in their 19th over and finished at 128.
The target was never going to be enough for a power-packed Indian batting lineup, and opener Abhishek Sharma took the match away from Pakistan with his belligerent innings of 31 runs off 13 balls.
Yadav followed suit with 47 runs off 37 balls as India won their second match of the tournament.
India walked away with two points and walked off without shaking hands with the Pakistan team, as is the norm after every cricket match.
Abhishek Sharma was India’s star batter in the match against Pakistan [Raghed Waked/Reuters]
What happened after the match?
Yadav walked off the field alongside his batting partner, Shivam Dube, without approaching the Pakistani captain and team for the traditional post-match handshakes.
Pakistan’s players trudged off in a group and waited for the Indian squad and support staff to come out and shake hands, as is the norm at the end of cricket matches.
However, the Indian contingent only shook hands with each other before walking into their dressing room and shutting the door as the waiting Pakistan players looked on.
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, left, and batting partner Shivam Dube, right, leave the field after their win in the Asia Cup cricket match against Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium [Fatima Shbair/AP]
Why did India’s players not shake hands with the Pakistani team?
“A few things in life are above sportsman’s spirit,” India’s captain Yadav said when asked to clarify his team’s actions.
“We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and with their families, and dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor.”
Yadav was referring to the Indian armed forces’ multiple missile attacks on six locations inside Pakistan.
How did Pakistan respond?
Pakistan’s manager Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a protest against the Indian cricket team’s actions with Pycroft, who is an ICC accredited match referee.
Additionally, Pakistan captain Agha did not speak at the post-match captain’s chat with the host broadcaster, in a mark of protest.
Three days later, Pakistani officials deliberated pulling out of the tournament as a mark of protest, causing a delayed start to their match against the UAE.
Pakistan’s players arrived late for their match against the UAE [Altaf Qadri/AP]
Why is India ‘hosting’ the Asia Cup in the UAE?
India was slated to host the tournament as per the hosting rights schedule, and while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains the official host of the tournament, it is being played in the UAE due to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.
What’s the weather forecast for India vs Pakistan in Dubai?
The weather forecast for Sunday is hot and humid, with highs of 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) and partial cloud cover.
It will get slightly cooler in the evening as the match will start just after sunset, and the temperature will drop to 31C (88F).
India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to face each other only at neutral venues [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo]
How many times has Pakistan won the Asia Cup?
Pakistan have lifted the trophy on two occasions – in 2000 and 2012 – and qualified for the final five times.
India are seven-time Asia Cup champions, with 11 appearances in the final.
How many times has India beaten Pakistan in the Asia Cup?
In their 20 clashes in the Asia Cup, India have beaten Pakistan 11 times and lost to their neighbours on six occasions. Three matches, including the group-stage match in 2023, were abandoned due to poor weather.
When was the last time Pakistan beat India?
Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win over India came in the 2022 edition in the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 71 runs in the Super Four clash, but it was Mohammad Nawaz’s 20-ball-41 that took Pakistan over the line in the run chase.
Mohammad Rizwan was the top scorer in Pakistan’s win over India in 2022 [File: Satish Kumar/Reuters]
India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in T20Is
Since the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the countries have met in 14 T20Is. India has won 11 times, including the first match in 2007, which was tied and then decided in a Super Over.
Two of Pakistan’s three wins came in Dubai.
Players to watch: India
Abhishek Sharma: The fact that the young top-order batter has managed to carve a spot in a highly competitive T20 Indian batting lineup is enough to mark Sharma as one to watch in the Asia Cup. The 24-year-old boasts the highest career strike rate of 198 among all batters in T20s and backs it up with two centuries and half-centuries in the format.
Varun Chakaravarthy: The 34-year-old leg-spin bowler’s second foray into the Indian side has reaped him big rewards as he has taken 35 wickets in 20 T20I matches.
Players to watch: Pakistan
Hasan Nawaz: Pakistan have often been criticised for their batters’ inability to match modern-day T20 batting strike rates, but in Nawaz, they seem to have found a solution to this problem. The 23-year-old has a strike rate of 174, with a T20 hundred and two fifties in his 16 matches.
Sufiyan Muqeem: The left-arm wrist spinner has taken 27 wickets in his 19 T20Is since making his debut less than two years ago and has become a mainstay of the bowling lineup in limited-overs cricket.
Sufiyan Muqeem has become a mainstay of Pakistan’s bowling attack in T20Is [File: Rick Rycroft/AP Photo]
Form guide: India
India are unbeaten in the Asia Cup and have not lost a T20 series since winning the World Cup in June 2024.
Last five results (most recent first): W-W-W-W-W
Form guide: Pakistan
Pakistan’s form in T20s has been mixed of late and but they head into the marquee clash with a series win in the bag.
Last five results (most recent first): W-L-W-W-L
Team news: India
After resting a couple of their star bowlers in the game against Oman, the holders are expected to go back to the same team that beat Pakistan in the group stage.
Despite the loss on Sunday, Pakistan are expected to field the same XI and will hope the result goes their way this time.
Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Faheem Ashraf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Where can I buy tickets for India vs Pakistan?
A selection of seats, starting at $95 apiece for the general stand and going up to $8,767 for a four-person hospitality box, is still available on the tournament’s official ticketing website, Platinumlist, and at the stadium’s ticketing office.
Pakistan agrees to have Andy Pycroft as a cricket match referee after he apologises for his role in a handshake row against India.
Pakistan’s cricket match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Asia Cup was delayed by an hour amid uncertainty about the fixture as Pakistani officials deliberated pulling out of the tournament as a mark of protest.
The match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium began at 7:30pm local time (15:30 GMT) on Wednesday, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) reached an agreement on Andy Pycroft’s assignment as match referee following his role in the “no handshake” row involving India three days earlier.
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“The ICC’s match referee, Andy Pycroft, has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistan cricket team,” the PCB said in a statement released minutes before the toss for the Pakistan-UAE fixture.
“Andy Pycroft termed the September 14 incident a result of miscommunication.”
The PCB also said that the ICC “expressed its willingness to conduct an inquiry into the code of conduct violation that occurred during the September 14 match”, referring to Pycroft’s request to Pakistan and India captains to avoid the customary handshake at the toss, which the PCB alleges contravened the laws of the game.
Pycroft was the key match official in the crucial and politically charged match between the South Asian archrivals on Sunday, and had allegedly asked Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha and his Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav to not partake in the customary captains’ handshake at the toss.
Later, once Yadav hit the winning runs for India, he walked off the field along with his batting partner Shivam Dube without shaking the opposition’s hands – a tradition in cricket – in a move that went uncontested by the match officials.
Additionally, the Indian players and staff did not shake hands with the Pakistani contingent and instead shut the door of their dressing room as the Pakistanis looked on.
The move, and Pycroft’s decision not to reprimand the Indian team, infuriated the PCB, which lodged an immediate complaint with the tournament’s organisers.
The PCB also wrote to the ICC on Monday, asking for Pycroft’s removal as match referee for all of Pakistan’s remaining fixtures due to his “failure to discharge his duties”, according to a PCB official who spoke to Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity.
The deadlock, resulting from the ICC’s apparent refusal to remove Pycroft, lasted up until an hour prior to the official match start time.
Later, as Pycroft conducted the toss in Dubai, the PCB released a video of a meeting where ICC General Manager of Cricket Wasim Khan is seen mediating a settlement between Pycroft and the Pakistan team – represented by manager Naveed Akram Cheema, captain Agha, and head coach Mike Hesson.
Hours earlier, the match’s fate was left in limbo as the Pakistani squad did not board the bus for the venue at its scheduled departure time, indicating a logistical logjam between the PCB and the ICC.
However, once both parties had reached an agreement, the team departed for the stadium. But the fate of the match became certain five minutes before the toss with the PCB’s statement.
Meanwhile, the UAE squad awaited Pakistan’s arrival at the stadium under a cloud of uncertainty.
The Group A fixture acts as a knockout game for both teams, with the winner progressing to the Super Four stage of the eight-nation tournament.
India have already qualified for the next stage on the back of their wins against the UAE and Pakistan.
Eight-run cricket win keeps Bangladesh in the running for the next phase, while Afghanistan must beat Sri Lanka to make it.
Published On 16 Sep 202516 Sep 2025
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Bangladesh have kept themselves in contention for the next round of cricket’s Asia Cup 2025 by defeating Afghanistan by eight runs in their Group B encounter in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan came close to securing their place in the Super Four stage and knocking out Bangladesh, but fell short in their chase of 155 on Tuesday.
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The Bangladeshi pacers kept Afghanistan’s batters in check with regular wickets as Mustafizur Rahman (3-28 in four overs), Nasum Ahmed (2-11 in four overs) and Taskin Ahmed (2-34 in four overs) applied the brakes on Afghanistan’s innings.
Apart from Rahmanullah Gurbaz 35 (31) and Azmatullah Omarzai 30 (16), none of the Afghan batters could move into the 30s.
Captain Rashid Khan’s flurry at the end of the innings – 20 (11) – did look threatening for Bangladesh at one point, but once he was dismissed, Afghanistan’s chances were all but gone.
Despite a couple of late sixes from spinner Noor Ahmad, Afghanistan fell short and were dismissed for 145 in their 20 overs.
Earlier, Tanzid Hasan top-scored for Bangladesh with a half-century (52 off 31) to help set up a challenging target of 154-5 in 20 overs.
Rashid and Noor took two wickets apiece for Afghanistan.
Bangladesh have now played all three of their group games and will await the result of Afghanistan’s all-important match against Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Sri Lanka are at top spot with four points, and Bangladesh move to second place with four points.
The Tigers will hope that Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan to open their path to the Super Fours.
Should Afghanistan win, the net run rate could come into play as a deciding factor.
Dubai, UAE – The wide-ranging ramifications of an ongoing political standoff between India and Pakistan have led to a controversial conclusion of the archrivals’ cricket match at the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, where India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that his squad opted against shaking hands with their opponents as a mark of protest.
When Sunday’s Group A fixture between the South Asian archrivals was confirmed after long deliberations from the Indian government, fans and experts had hoped that the on-field action could help cool the off-field heat.
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Yadav, though, crushed all expectations by saying his team’s thumping seven-wicket win in the T20 match was a “perfect reply” to Pakistan in the wake of the intense four-day cross-border conflict that brought both countries to the brink of an all-out war in May.
“Our [Indian] government and the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] were aligned on the decision to play this match. We came here just to play the match and gave them [Pakistan] a perfect reply,” Yadav told the media shortly after the match.
What happened at the end of the India vs Pakistan match?
Yadav, who hit the winning runs for India, walked off the field alongside his batting partner, Shivam Dube, without approaching the Pakistani captain and team for the traditional post-match handshakes.
Pakistan’s players trudged off in a group and waited for the Indian squad and support staff to come out and shake hands, as is the norm at the end of cricket matches.
However, the Indian contingent only shook hands with each other before walking into their dressing room and shutting the door as the waiting Pakistan players looked on.
No handshakes between the teams. Salman Agha looked to lead Pakistan over to the India dressing room, but nothing doing. They all headed straight in #INDvPAKpic.twitter.com/0BbJtYdkAf
Why did Indian team refuse to shake hands with Pakistani players?
The Indian captain was asked to clarify his team’s actions and whether they were in contradiction with the spirit of the sport.
“A few things in life are above sportsman’s spirit,” the 35-year-old swiftly responded.
“We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and with their families, and dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor.”
Yadav was referring to the Indian armed forces’ multiple missile attacks on six locations inside Pakistan.
India said the missiles were in response to the April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir in Pahalgam, in which 26 men were killed. An armed group called The Resistance Front (TRF), which demands independence for Kashmir, claimed responsibility for the attack, but India had alleged Pakistani involvement.
Two days later, Pakistan responded to the missile strikes by attacking military installations across its frontier with India and Indian-administered Kashmir, striking at least four facilities.
The conflict ended four days later, thanks to an internationally-brokered ceasefire.
While the exchange of aerial fire came to a halt, the diplomatic ties between the neighbours remained suspended, and the political tension spilled over into cricket when the fixture between India and Pakistan was announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Did India break any rules by not shaking hands?
As a result, the match was played under a highly charged political climate, and when both captains did not indulge in the customary handshake at the pre-match toss, the focus swiftly shifted to the interactions between the teams.
However, Al Jazeera has learned that the match referee, Andy Pycroft, had asked Yadav and his counterpart, Agha, to skip the pre-toss ritual.
“The match referee requested both captains to not shake hands at the toss,” an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), requesting anonymity, told Al Jazeera after the match.
Match officials also granted India permission to skip the post-match handshakes with Pakistan, but did not inform Agha or his team, according to the source.
This resulted in an awkward-looking post-match scenario, where the Pakistani players followed Yadav off the pitch and waited for the Indians to emerge, only to watch them shut the dressing room door.
How did Pakistan respond?
Pakistan’s manager Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a protest against the Indian cricket team’s actions with Pycroft, who is an International Cricket Council (ICC) accredited match referee.
“The umpires had allowed the Indians to walk off the field without shaking hands for which the match referee apologised after the protest of our team manager,” the official said.
Additionally, Pakistan captain Agha did not speak at the post-match captain’s chat with the host broadcaster in a mark of protest.
Mike Hesson, Pakistan’s head coach, confirmed that Agha’s refusal to show up for the talk and the media briefing was a “follow-on effect” of the Indian team’s actions.
“We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, but our opposition did not do that,” Hesson said.
“We sort of went over there to shake hands, and they had already gone into the changing room.”
Indian and Pakistani players stand for their national anthems before the start of the match [Fadel Senna/AFP]
Why are handshakes important in cricket, and what’s the protocol?
As per the norm in cricket, the two on-field players of the team batting second shake hands with the fielding team and the umpires before walking off.
And in what is now a common practice in all international cricket matches, the batting team then enters the ground to shake hands with their opponents.
It offers both sides to end the match on a friendly note and exchange words of encouragement.
In the same manner, both teams’ captains shake hands before the toss, which takes place 30 minutes before the start of play.
The toss is conducted by the match referee on the pitch and usually broadcast live.
Both captains and the match referee can also indulge in a pre-match chat regarding team lineups or any other matters of mutual interest for both teams.
The match referee can also meet a captain, head coach or manager of either team before the match.
Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha at the coin toss [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
What have the tournament officials said about the incident?
The move was lamented by the ACC chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the PCB.
“Utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship today,” Naqvi said in a post on X.
“Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports.”
Utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports. Lets hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace
Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and the Indian spinners star in the Group A fixture in Dubai.
Published On 14 Sep 202514 Sep 2025
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Dubai, UAE – Pakistan’s long wait to beat India in a men’s cricket match continues after their Asia Cup 2025 fixture ended in a thumping seven-wicket win for the defending champions in Dubai.
Opener Abhishek Sharma took the match away from Pakistan with his belligerent innings of 31 runs off 13 balls, and captain Suryakumar Yadav followed suit with 47 runs off 37 balls as India won their second match of the tournament on Sunday.
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It was the Sharma show from the first ball of India’s run chase as the young opener took apart Pakistan’s experienced pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi in his first over.
Sharma, the top-ranked men’s Twenty20 (T20) batter, hit the first ball for a four and followed it up with a six over the cover fielder.
He would go on to hit another six and three more fours before falling to part-time spinner Saim Ayub.
Ayub, whose main role in the team is as an opening batter, was the sole wicket-taker for Pakistan as he also dismissed Shubman Gill for 10 (7) and Tilak Varma for a run-a-ball 31.
Despite the loss of three wickets, India never looked to be struggling in the run chase, which was sealed with a six by Suryakumar in the 16th over.
Earlier, when Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to bat first, it seemed like the right call as the Dubai pitch has slowed down in the second innings in the earlier matches.
However, Pakistan were dealt an early blow when Ayub was caught out at point off Hardik Pandya’s bowling on the first ball of the match.
One-down batter Mohammad Haris followed suit in the next over as India’s star bowler Jasprit Bumrah struck.
While Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman briefly revived Pakistan’s innings, India’s trio of spinners ensnared six wickets in 10 overs to leave Pakistan scrambling to finish their 20 overs.
It wasn’t until Afridi and leg-spin bowler Sufiyan Muqeem hit four fours and two sixes that Pakistan crossed the 100-run mark in their 19th over.
The late flourish helped Pakistan set a relatively respectable target of 128, but it was never going to be enough for a power-packed Indian batting lineup.
India walked away with two points and walked off without shaking hands with the Pakistan team, as is the norm after every cricket match between the archrivals.
Pakistan, meanwhile, were left to rue another missed opportunity.
Agha’s team play their next match against the UAE on Wednesday, while India face Oman on Friday.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – A day prior to the marquee India-Pakistan cricket clash at the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, it’s a tale of two teams positioned on opposite ends of the pre-match hype metre as political frenzy envelops the fixture.
As a result of the hoopla, the game of cricket has been reduced to a supporting act.
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India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate faced the heat as his side’s designated news conference representative on Saturday.
The former Netherlands international cricketer was sent to tackle a barrage of questions on the tense atmosphere in the wake of the four-day conflict in May, when the South Asian archrivals came close to an all-out war.
Unlike the pre-tournament news conference, where media persons were discouraged from asking political questions, Saturday’s event was heavier on politics and lighter on cricket.
Doeschate, who has been part of the Indian coaching set-up for over a year, was asked to talk about the players’ mindset in the lead-up to the match and whether the simmering sentiments back home will affect them.
“It will play on the minds of the players, who share the compassion of the Indian public,” Doeschate said.
However, the coach urged them to “put the sentiments and emotions behind” when they step on the field.
“It’s something we have addressed in the dressing room in team meetings. We are aware of the feelings [of Indian fans], but the guys have to play for their country, so they will be as professional and focused as they can be given the circumstances.”
While the conversation occasionally turned to India’s team combination for the match and tackling a new-look Pakistani T20 side, some sections of the media kept steering it back to themes such as “using the sports field as an avenue for protest [against the opponent]” and, cynically, protecting the players from the outside noise.
However, ten Doeschate was careful in his handling of questions on the delicate theme and did not attempt to shut down the constant probing.
He revealed India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s message to the dressing room in the lead-up to the Pakistan match.
“It’s been about being professional, not worrying about things not in our control and trying to be emotionless when approaching the cricket side of things.”
The 45-year-old former allrounder wrapped up by saying the way the Indian team plays on Sunday will “represent how the players feel about the country.”
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir at a practice session [File: Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
‘Just another cricket match’
Meanwhile, Pakistan took the opposite approach to the media scrutiny by sending Saim Ayub, a very nonchalant young member of the squad, to deal with the barrage of critical and deceptively political questions.
The allrounder flat-batted the inquest into Pakistan’s inability to beat India in recent games by repeating the “past is past” mantra that every athlete knows so well.
Pakistan’s last win over India, in all formats and competitions, came in October 2021, when Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan guided them home by 10 wickets.
The 23-year-old has never played a match against India, and when he was asked to recount his experience of being on the reserves’ bench during the India-Pakistan game at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, he simply blamed amnesia for his inability to recall his feelings from last June.
“I could have answered your question better had you asked last year,” he quipped.
Ayub, whose main role in the team is to open the batting, has seen a dip in his run-scoring form since his return from injury this year.
In his 15 T20I innings since May, Ayub has scored 40 or more runs on four occasions, only one of which came during the recent tri-nation T20 series in the UAE.
The left-handed batter dealt with the criticism of his performance with a smirk and said, “The same player can’t be expected to win the match every time.”
“The team is made up of 11 players, and we try that every player stands up on a different day. We can only try to give our best effort and hope that the result goes our way.”
When it was his turn to face questions on the hyped up match and how it could lead to on-field nerves, Ayub was happy to term it “just another cricket match”.
“It can be a big fixture for some people, but for us, it’s just another match where we must improve our performance.”
A changed-up Pakistan team led by a new captain and coach will look to change the recent trend in results against India, while their opponents will aim to not only win the contest on the pitch, but also placate a charged-up fanbase back home.
Pakistan will rely on Shaheen Shah Afridi’s experience against India on Sunday [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – When cricketers from India and Pakistan step onto the field for their Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday, a lot more than two points will be on the line, according to cricket fans and experts.
The match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium will be played under the cloud of lingering hostility after their intense four-day conflict in May.
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While an all-out war between the two cross-border nations was prevented after an internationally brokered ceasefire, a sense of bitterness remains.
“People in India have been very angry about the match ever since this fixture was confirmed,” Kudip Lal, an Indian cricket writer, told Al Jazeera.
“They feel that it’s not right to play this match while the overall relationship between both countries is so strained,” he explained.
Lal said that fans in India see the fixture as a money-making avenue for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), whom they blame for trying to cash in on the profit generated by these high-profile clashes.
Lal believes the BCCI, widely regarded as the most wealthy and powerful cricket board in the world, could have “easily skipped” the match.
“If the Indian government has stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis, if the diplomatic ties are suspended and Pakistanis visiting India have been sent back, then why have the cricketers been asked to play this match in the aftermath of a war?” Lal questioned.
He expressed fears of a backlash in case India lose the Group A fixture.
Whenever India and Pakistan play, emotions run high and a loss is not taken well by fans on either side of the border.
In the past decades, players’ homes have been torched, their family members have been threatened, and effigy-burning protests have been carried out on the streets.
The current political climate between India and Pakistan is worse than it has been in several decades.
Shared laughs and ‘bromance’ of the past
Despite the political deadlock between the nuclear-armed neighbours, the recent on-and-off-field exchanges between players have been fairly cheerful.
When India last played Pakistan in the Asia Cup in September 2023, the two key talking points were Virat Kohli’s utter dominance of Pakistani bowlers and the countless feel-good moments shared between both teams.
The match was played in the middle of the monsoon season in Sri Lanka, where fans cheered for both teams regardless of their allegiances and danced away their worries during the countless rain delays.
There were memorable player-to-player exchanges that were plucked right out of a social media manager’s dream.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi swapped his on-field aggression for off-field warmth as he handed India’s Jasprit Bumrah a gift hamper for his newborn son. Cue millions of retweets and shares on X and Instagram.
Social media was also flooded with reels highlighting the “bromance” between Kohli and Pakistan allrounder Shadab Khan.
This time, however, experts do not foresee similar public displays of goodwill and friendliness.
“The friendship and warmth seen in the past will not be on display because anything can be blown out of proportion by impassioned fans, and the smallest move can agitate the public,” Sami Ul Hasan, former head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) media and communications department, said ahead of the match.
When Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan were warmly embraced by Kohli, and all three shared a hearty laugh while walking off the pitch.
“We can’t expect similar scenes to unfold on Sunday,” Hasan said.
“The interpretation and optics of an overtly friendly encounter could go very wrong, and things could blow up on either side of the border.”
India’s Jasprit Bumrah, right, talks with Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, centre, and Shaheen Shah Afridi before their team’s match at Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo [File: Ishara S Kodikara/AFP]
Mixing cricket with politics
Hasan, who has worked with cricketers and cricket officials, said the players will attempt to bat away political questions by saying they are not meant to deal with political matters.
“Sports and politics can never be separated, but athletes aren’t politicians, so they can’t be expected to act like diplomats.”
Despite the heated atmosphere and tense build-up to the fixture, some fans believe the match can still be seen as just another India-Pakistan match.
“Politics shouldn’t be mixed with cricket, which has always helped ease the tensions, so why should it be used as an avenue to propagate politics?” Asad Khan, a Pakistani fan, said.
“When you bring political agendas into cricket, it ruins the game and causes unnecessary stress for the players.”
Khan urged fans to put aside the politically and religiously motivated chants at cricket stadiums and instead enjoy a now-rare India-Pakistan match.
Given the years-long halt in bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan, their fixtures are limited to multination tournaments.
Cricket fans are hopeful that both teams will not give in to the politically-charged atmosphere and help lighten the mood.
“The players should do their jobs as cricketers and the fans should treat it as just another game,” Ali, a Pakistan fan, said, told Al Jazeera in Dubai.
“Why must the cricketers worry about what happened on the border four months ago,” Ali
But cricket expert Lal believes otherwise.
“When the two teams enter the field on Sunday, they can’t be expected to be completely detached from the conflict. It will play on their minds.”
A hot and humid September evening in Dubai cannot be blamed solely for turning the “Ring of Fire” stadium into a cauldron.
Come Sunday, the latest chapter in a decades-long bitter rivalry will have the players and fans on the edge.
India’s Virat Kohli, left, is a firm fan favourite in Pakistan [File: Fadel Senna/AFP]
In sport, sometimes there is no better way to prepare for a fierce rivalry than watching reruns or reading summaries of previous heart-stopping encounters.
The sport’s history is embellished with historic India-Pakistan clashes at every tournament and in every decade.
With the teams set to meet again in the T20 Asia Cup 2025, Al Jazeera Sport picks the three India-Pakistan Asia Cup classics you must revisit before Sunday’s encounter:
2010: Harbhajan is a last-over hero with the bat
The 2010 edition of the Asia Cup was a four-team tournament played entirely in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, where all teams played a round-robin group stage, with the top two progressing to the final.
India beat Bangladesh while Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka, making their June 19 encounter a must-win for the Shahid Afridi-led side.
Pakistan opened with a 71-run partnership between Salman Butt and Imran Farhat. A par total of 267 followed the regular fall of wickets thereafter. India’s fast-medium seamer Praveen Kumar picked up three wickets, but it was Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin that kept Pakistan in check.
Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag opened the batting for India’s chase, and while Sehwag fell after an uncharacteristically slow innings, Gambhir kept going as captain MS Dhoni chipped in with a half-century.
India seemed well set before Pakistan’s spinners struck in the last third of their innings. Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Dhoni and Jadeja fell in quick succession, leaving India reeling at 219-6 with 49 runs required off 29 balls.
Lower-order batter Suresh Raina had the responsibility to take India home alongside off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Raina hit Ajmal for 12 off 4 before three economical overs from Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir.
With eight runs to defend in the final over, Amir made a near-perfect start as Raina ran a single. In a desperate attempt to get back on strike, Raina had a mix-up with Harbhajan and was run out, giving Pakistan the upper hand. India needed seven off four, with Kumar facing Amir. A double and a single brought Harbhajan back on strike for the final two balls.
Harbhajan, who had an altercation with Akhtar a few balls earlier, swung at a length delivery, clearing midwicket for a huge six. The Turbanator then turned towards Akhtar and let out a loud roar as the Indian dressing room celebrated wildly.
India were in the final and Pakistan were nearly out.
Brief scorecard
Pakistan: 267 in 49.3 overs – Salman Butt 74 (85), Kamran Akmal 51 (41); Praveen Kumar 3-53 in 10 overs. India: 271 in 49.5 overs – Gautam Gambhir 83 (97), MS Dhoni 56 (71); Saeed Ajmal 3-56 in 10 overs.
Harbhajan Singh celebrates the win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Dambulla [File: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Reuters]
2014: Afridi seals it with two sixes and a kiss
The round-robin format continued for the 2010 tournament in Bangladesh.
By the time India faced Pakistan, both teams had one win and one loss and needed a win to bolster their chances for a spot in the final.
Runs flowed off Rohit Sharma’s bat on a quick Mirpur outfield, and India seemed on their way to a big total despite losing Shikhar Dhawan early. Virat Kohli joined Rohit in smashing the Pakistani pacers.
While Rohit went his merry way, India were dealt a blow when Umar Gul dismissed Kohli for five. Regular wickets slowed India’s scoring rate, but they still posted 245, thanks to a late flourish by Ambati Rayudu and Jadeja.
Pakistan’s top-order, particularly Mohammad Hafeez, gave them a good start to the chase. However, it wasn’t long before India’s spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra forced a collapse worthy of Pakistani renown. Four batters were dismissed in the space of 42 runs.
Hafeez began the rebuild with Sohaib Maqsood in an 87-run partnership, but both were dismissed in consecutive overs, leaving Pakistan reeling at 203-6 off 45. Maqsood’s run out, in particular, was a gift for India after a huge mid-pitch mix-up with Shahid Afridi, just after Pakistan took the upper hand.
Afridi, the last recognised batter, was joined by Gul as Pakistan required 43 off 30 with four wickets standing. Every Afridi swing of his bat was met with trepidation as the all-rounder was known for attempting big shots irrespective of the match situation.
At first, he targeted Jadeja, hitting him for a four and a six in the 46th. The following over, from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, also brought two boundaries before Mohammad Shami kept Pakistan quiet in the 48th.
Kumar’s next over, with two wickets and just three runs, all but ended Pakistan’s hopes as Afridi watched on from the non-striker’s end.
The final over was handed to Ashwin, who had taken 2-31 in his nine overs thus far. The wily spinner gave India the perfect start by bowling Ajmal first up. Pakistani fans held their heads in disbelief while India’s celebrated wildly.
Junaid Khan was last in, and he played a perfect dab to pinch a single, bringing Afridi back on strike.
With nine needed off four, the stadium held its breath knowing Afridi could sway the match either way.
As Ashwin began his delivery stride, Afridi stepped back and swung hard at a short ball. The connection between was by no means ideal, but Afridi’s power cleared the ropes.
Afridi again gave himself room with the ball pitched closer to his body, but when has that ever stopped Afridi from playing a risky shot? Another wild swing skied the ball, but it again cleared the boundary.
Ashwin was all hands-on-head as the Indian team stood in disbelief.
Afridi was all arms lifted wide in his trademark star-man celebration as Junaid embraced him. A delighted Afridi gave Junaid a quick kiss on the cheek before the star all-rounder was mobbed by his teammates.
Brief scorecard
India: 245-8 in 50 overs – Rohit Sharma 56 (58), Ravindra Jadeja 52 (49); Saeed Ajmal 3-40 in 10 overs. Pakistan: 249-9 in 49.4 overs – Mohammad Hafeez 75 (117), Shahid Afridi 34 (18); Ravichandran Ashwin 3-44 in 9.4 overs.
Shahid Afridi celebrates his risky but rewarding run-chase against India in their Asia Cup 2014 match [File: Andrew Biraj/Reuters]
2016: Kohli trumps Amir in low-scoring thriller
The Asia Cup 2016 was the first played as a T20 and produced one-sided group games until India met Pakistan in the fourth match of the round-robin stage.
Pakistan lost Hafeez to the fourth ball of the match.
A poor umpiring decision, with Khurram Manzoor surviving a caught-behind, left India furious. However, Dhoni’s team didn’t have to wait too long for Manzoor’s departure as Afridi’s men continued to struggle on a low-scoring pitch, losing wickets in every other over.
In a total of 83, Sarfaraz Ahmed’s 25 was Pakistan’s only saving grace. Hardik Pandya led the attack with three wickets, but each of India’s bowlers chipped in, including a then-fresh-faced Jasprit Bumrah.
The chase was seemingly simple, given India’s power-packed batting. Mohammad Amir, playing his first Asia Cup since returning to the team following his cricket corruption-linked ban, had other plans.
The left-arm pacer made a near-perfect start, striking Rohit’s toes with a swinging yorker, only for it to be adjudged not out. There was no surviving the following inswinger, which struck the pads.
Kohli was next in to face the pumped-up Amir, swinging the ball to his will. A single switched strike with Ajinkya Rahane’s first ball ending up being his last, Amir swinging the ball back into the right-hander viciously to strike his pads plumb in front.
Amir’s second over, and India’s third, brought more lbw appeals as Kohli was struck on the pads by another skilful delivery that straightened, but failed to impress the umpire. Amir had his reward next ball, as Raina was the man to go, chipping an easy catch to short mid-on.
Kohli and Yuvraj Singh saw out Amir’s spell, nudging towards the target. Kohli, in particular, showed nerves of steel to see off Amir’s scintillating swing.
The Indian batting star soon reaped his reward, however, settling in to take boundaries off all the bowlers, including Amir’s last.
India’s charge was halted in the 15th when Kohli fell on 49, followed by Pandya, but the team total was 76-3. New batter Dhoni and Yuvraj took six more deliveries to finish the job.
India won by five wickets, but the match could have had a nervy finish were it not for Kohli’s brilliance.
Brief scorecard
Pakistan: 83 runs in 17.3 overs – Sarfaraz Ahmed 25 (24); Hardik Pandya 3-8 in 3.3 overs. India: 85-5 runs in 15.3 overs – Virat Kohli 49 (51); Mohammad Amir 3-18 in 4 overs.
Virat Kohli was the anchor of India’s innings in a low-scoring match against Pakistan in the T20 Asia Cup 2016 [AM Ahad/AP]
A YouTuber who is originally from the UK moved to Dubai for two years to “avoid paying tax” – but he returned home saying there were “more cons than pros” to living in the city
14:15, 11 Sep 2025Updated 14:29, 11 Sep 2025
A Brit has revealed how he returned to the UK after discovering a major problem with Dubai (Image: Michael Lee via Getty Images)
A British YouTuber who relocated to Dubai has packed up and returned to the UK after two years, citing one significant issue with life in the Gulf state.
YouTuber Charlie Morgan initially moved to Dubai to “avoid paying tax”, but returned home to Britain earlier this year after concluding there were “more cons than pros” to living in the city.
He revealed that “the real primary reason” he decided to abandon his Dubai lifestyle. He said: “It’s impossible to emotionally unpack.”
Many Brits have moved to Dubai in recent years(Image: Marius Gomes via Getty Images)
He continued: “Living in Dubai feels like you’re on holiday or in an Airbnb because in order for you to have a healthy life, you need to have people that you love and you need to have a social life and you need to have a love life, a family life.”
Charlie identified one crucial weakness of the city: “The issue with Dubai is everyone plans to leave. It’s a revolving door of a city which means that people come and people leave. And 90%, 95% of the people that I knew in Dubai did not plan on staying there for the long term.”
Charlie said he had originally been attracted to the difference in Dubai’s taxation rules(Image: Nikada via Getty Images)
While Charlie highlighted one specific disadvantage of living in the sun-drenched climate of Dubai, there are also numerous other considerations that British expats recommend weighing up when relocating to the Middle Eastern nation. The first thing Brits will notice when they step foot in Dubai is the drastic change in temperature.
In the scorching months of July and August, it’s not unusual for temperatures to rocket past 40C, while during the cooler months of November and December, it can still linger around the mid-20s.
Despite significant differences in climate, taxation, and culture between Dubai and the UK, the UAE city has become an increasingly appealing option for Brits seeking a new life abroad.
Dubai boasts an impressive skyline(Image: Captured Blinks Photography via Getty Images)
Recent estimates show a massive surge in the number of UK nationals moving to Dubai in recent years.
In 2021, it’s estimated that 30,000 Brits packed their bags for Dubai, with that figure rising to 35,000 a year later, and hitting 40,000 in 2023. It’s thought that a whopping 240,000 Brits now call the UAE city home.
One of the fiercest and most widely followed rivalries in sport will be in the spotlight once again when India clashes with Pakistan in cricket’s T20 Asia Cup 2025.
Both teams will be riding a wave of confidence, given their recent form in T20 internationals.
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Defending champions India made a winning start to their campaign with a nine-wicket thrashing of hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their Group A game in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Pakistan enters the Asia Cup on the back of a tri-nation T20 series win against Afghanistan and the UAE in Sharjah.
Here’s everything you need to know about the match:
When and where is India vs Pakistan?
The Group A fixture is scheduled for Sunday and will begin at 6:30pm (14:30 GMT) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Why is Dubai hosting India vs Pakistan?
India was slated to host the tournament as per the hosting rights schedule, and while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains the official host of the tournament, it is being played in the UAE due to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.
Why doesn’t India play bilateral cricket series against Pakistan?
The Indian government has barred its athletes and teams from competing against their Pakistani counterparts in bilateral tournaments in all sports. Indian athletes are also barred from travelling to Pakistan, forcing all India-Pakistan encounters in multination sports tournaments to be hosted at a neutral venue.
Prior to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, both countries agreed to host each other at a neutral venue during ICC events.
India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to face each other only at neutral venues [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo]
What’s the weather forecast for India vs Pakistan in Dubai?
September is typically a hot month in the UAE, and this year is no different.
The weather forecast for Sunday is hot and humid, with highs of 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and partial cloud cover.
It will get slightly cooler in the evening as the match will start just after sunset and the temperature will drop to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).
What happened in the last India vs Pakistan match?
The last meeting between India and Pakistan was at the same venue, Dubai, on February 23, in the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy.
A Virat Kohli batting masterclass helped India win by six wickets on a slow Dubai pitch, where Pakistan posted 241 in 49.4 overs. It was India’s 58th win over Pakistan in one-day internationals (ODI). Pakistan have beaten India 73 times in the ODI format.
Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring his century and winning the match against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 [File: Satish Kumar/Reuters]
How many times has Pakistan won the Asia Cup?
Pakistan have lifted the trophy on two occasions – in 2000 and 2012 – and qualified for the final five times.
India are seven-time Asia Cup champions, with 11 appearances in the final.
How many times has India beaten Pakistan in the Asia Cup?
In their 19 clashes in the Asia Cup, India have beaten Pakistan 10 times and lost to their neighbours on six occasions. Three matches, including the group-stage match in 2023, were abandoned due to poor weather.
When was the last time Pakistan beat India?
Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win over India came in the 2022 edition in the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 71 runs in the Super Four clash, but it was Mohammad Nawaz’s 20-ball-41 that took Pakistan over the line in the run chase.
Mohammad Rizwan was the top scorer in Pakistan’s win over India in 2022 [File: Satish Kumar/Reuters]
How many times will India play Pakistan at the Asia Cup?
While Sunday’s match is, so far, the only confirmed India vs Pakistan match at the Asia Cup, they could meet again on September 21 in a Super Fours clash, should they qualify for the second stage.
The September 28 final offers cricket fans the chance of a third India vs Pakistan match in two weeks – if both teams qualify.
India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in T20Is
Since the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the countries have met in 13 T20Is. India has won 10 times, including the first match in 2007, which was tied and then decided in a Super Over.
Two of Pakistan’s three wins came in Dubai.
Players to watch: India
Abhishek Sharma: The fact that the young top-order batter has managed to carve a spot in a highly competitive T20 Indian batting lineup is enough to mark Sharma as one to watch in the Asia Cup. The 24-year-old boasts the highest career strike rate of 193 among all batters in T20s and backs it up with two centuries and half-centuries in the format.
Varun Chakaravarthy: The 34-year-old leg-spin bowler’s second foray into the Indian side has reaped him big rewards as he has taken 27 wickets in his last 12 T20I matches.
Players to watch: Pakistan
Hasan Nawaz: Pakistan have often been criticised for their batters’ inability to match modern-day T20 batting strike rates, but in Nawaz, they seem to have found a solution to this problem. The 23-year-old has a strike rate of 174, with a T20 hundred and two fifties in his 16 matches.
Sufiyan Muqeem: The left-arm wrist spinner has taken 25 wickets in his 17 T20Is since making his debut less than two years ago and has become a mainstay of the bowling lineup in limited-overs cricket.
Sufiyan Muqeem has become a mainstay of Pakistan’s bowling attack in T20Is [File: Rick Rycroft/AP Photo]
Form guide: India
Prior to the Asia Cup, India hadn’t played a T20 match since hosting England in a five-match series in January and February.
The T20 world champions won the series 4-1 to maintain their dominance at the top of the ICC T20 men’s teams rankings.
In fact, India have only lost three of the 20 T20s they have played since winning the World Cup in June 2024.
Last five results (most recent first): W-W-W-L-W
Form guide: Pakistan
Pakistan’s form in T20s has been mixed of late, and they have won three of their five T20 series this year.
They head into the marquee clash with a series win in the bag.
Last five results (most recent first): W-W-L-W-W
Team news: India
India have been bolstered by Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the T20 side after a long injury and workload management forced layoff.
They are likely to keep the same XI that beat the UAE in the opening match.
As is the norm in Pakistan cricket, the team has gone through a number of changes since the T20 World Cup 2024, including squad shuffling, a change of captaincy and the introduction of new coaching staff.
Since May, though, the team and captain have remained largely unchanged. Pakistan are likely to field a mix of youth and experience in their XI for Sunday’s match.
Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Where can I buy tickets for India vs Pakistan?
A selection of seats, starting at $135 apiece for the general stand and going up to $4,550 for a two-person hospitality box, are still available on the tournament’s official ticketing website, Platinumlist, and at the stadium’s ticketing office.
How to watch, follow and stream India vs Pakistan?
