Coming to the 17th edition of Asia Cup, India-Pakistan are facing each other in the final for the first time. After defeating Bangladesh on Thursday, Pakistan confirmed India's opponent in the Asia Cup title race this time. Both the countries will fight for the title on 28th September i.e. Sunday in Dubai.

India bet in the group stage and Super 4 of the Twenty20  format. India entered the finals undefeated, while Pakistan lost along with India in the group stage and Super Four. In the

final, India will come out with the high morale of the victory, while Pakistan will come out with the intention of avenging the previous defeats. The competition between these two countries will not only be a game but an aggressive competition on the field. After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India said that it will not play any match with Pakistan and finally decided to compete in ICC and ACC projects. 

In the previous two matches, during the match between these two countries, there has been a symbolic attack on each other by the players. Be it when India does not shake hands or when a Pakistani batsman scores a half-century, the 'gun position' celebration and other activities are becoming a topic of discussion. In this case, the title fight between these two arch rivals will be interesting. However, in the last half a dozen more Twenty-20 tournaments, India has made a one-sided bet . For the same reason, the morale of the Indian team is high . 

This final match between India and Pakistan is taking place for the 13th time in international cricket. In the previous 12 finals, Pakistan won 8 times and India only 4 times. 2017  In the ICC Champions Final, both the teams fought for the title for the last time. Pakistan won the tournament. The last time India won a title match against Pakistan in any format was in 2007. 

Pakistan wins 8 times in 11 ODIs

The final of any system of cricket between India and Pakistan was held in 1985 . India won the final match of the World Championship of Cricket by 8 wickets. Along with this, India has fought for the title 11 times in different one-day matches. Out of which Pakistan has won 8 and India has won only 3. 

Twenty-20 playing the final for the second time

is currently being played in the Asia Cup Twenty-20 system. In this system, both teams are playing against each other for the second time for the title. Earlier, for the first time in 2007,  Twenty-20    He played in the World Cup . Under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian team won by 5 runs and won the title for the first time in the World Cup.

This is the first time that these two countries will compete in the finals of the Asia Cup. The 17th edition continues in Dubai . Both India and Pakistan were boycotted once in the 16-run tournament. India has won the title 8 out of 15 times. 3 times the Indian team was the runner-up . Pakistan has also won the title 2 times in 15 tournaments since

. They won the title by defeating Sri Lanka in 2000 and Bangladesh in 2012. In the years 2022, 2014 and 1986, the Pakistani team was the runner-up. But until today, India-Pakistan had not faced each other in the Asia Cup final. Eight teams participated in this 48-year-old competition this time.

always controversy, sometimes Twenty-20  Why sometimes in one day?

The Asian Cricket Council was established in 1983. It was formed for the participation and competition of Asian teams in cricket. Especially to increase the number of matches between India and Pakistan. Because cricket had become popular in the 80s.

In 1984, the Council announced a new competition . And this was named Asia Cup . Asia Cup has been held 16 times since 1984. Its 17th edition is starting from 9th September i.e. Tuesday . And this year's Asia Cup is in the Twenty20 format.

Nepal also participated in the 16th edition held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. That was Nepal's first entry in the Asia Cup. It was Nepal's first opportunity to play with India and Pakistan in the senior team. Despite losing to India and Pakistan, the match against Sri Lanka was canceled due to rain. Nepal could not qualify for this year's Asia Cup.

In the Asia Cup held every two years from 1984 to 2014, 12 editions were held in a one-day event. Since then, the Asian Cricket Council decided to use this tournament to prepare for the World Cup.

If the next World Cup will be a one-day event, the Asia Cup will also be a one-day event. But the nearest World Cup will be Twenty-20 and the Asia Cup will also be in the same format . That is the reason why this year's Asia Cup was held in Twenty-20 format. Because the Twenty-20 World Cup will be held in 2026 between India and Sri Lanka. The One Day World Cup will be held in 2027. The

took place in the Asia Cup Twenty20 before the Twenty20 World Cup in 2016 and 2022. Similarly, before the one-day World Cup in 2018 and 2023, the Asia Cup was also a one-day event. The first Asia Cup played by Nepal was played in one-day system in 2023.

The team that has won the most titles

The record for the most number of wins in the Asia Cup is in the name of India . India has won the Asia Cup 8 times for participating in 15 of the 16 so far. India won the last Asia Cup by defeating Sri Lanka. Out of 8, India won 7 ODIs and one edition in the Twenty20  format . Similarly, when Sri Lanka won the title 6 times, the Twenty-20 format was once and 5 times in ODIs. Pakistan has been champion in the one-day format twice. 

The record for winning the most matches

The team that has won the most matches ever in the Asia Cup has also become India after joining this edition. Until the previous edition, the Sri Lankan team won 44 matches and took the first place in winning the most matches. But India has broken that record by reaching the final this time. India has been among the most successful teams in this edition with three out of three group stage matches and 2 wins in Super Four. 

Having won all three matches in the group stage, Sri Lanka has won 47 matches in the history of the Asia Cup. But India has won 43 matches till the previous edition and has won five more in the current edition and has won 48 matches.

Controversial from the beginning

The Asia Cup has been controversial since its inception. This year's edition is also going to be in a hybrid model due to the India-Pakistan dispute. Where the matches between India and Pakistan will be held in the UAE. In the previous edition too, after India refused to go to Pakistan, India played its matches in Sri Lanka . 

was controversial from the second edition. In 1986, India boycotted the edition even though the tournament was held in Sri Lanka due to a disagreement between the India and Sri Lanka Cricket Boards.

Similarly, when the relationship between India and Pakistan deteriorated in 1990, it also affected the Asia Cup. India was the host but Pakistan boycotted. If Pakistan is the host, India is not agreeing to go to Pakistan citing security reasons. 

After the Pahalgam attack, the Indian players took a stand not to play any tournament with Pakistan. For the same reason, the semi-final game of the Legends Championship was boycotted by the Indian team against Pakistan. The tournament was won by the South African team defeating Pakistan in the final.

Participating team

8 teams participated in this year's Asia Cup. Four teams were placed in two groups. India, Pakistan, Oman and UAE were in Group 'A' while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka were in Group 'B'.

These are the records

top three goals

1. Pakistan-385 runs (50) vs Bangladesh (June 21, 2010) 

2. India – 374 runs (50) against Hong Kong (June 25, 2008)

3. Sri Lanka - 357 runs (50) against Bangladesh (2008 June 25)

Lowest total

1. Sri Lanka - 50 (all out at 15.2 in 50 overs) against India (2023 September 17)

2. Bangladesh – 87 (all out at 34.2 in 50 overs) v Pakistan (June 2, 2000)

3. Bangladesh 94–(all out at 35.3 in 50 overs) Pakistan (1986 March 31)

win by a huge margin

1. India-256, 2008 against Hong Kong

2. Pakistan-238, 2023 against Nepal

3. Pakistan – 233, 2000 vs Bangladesh

Personal High Score   

1. Virat Kohli-183 runs against Pakistan in 2012

2. Babar Azam-151 runs against Nepal in 2023