Sports
Pakistan vs India: Rivalry that defines Asia Cup | The Express Tribune
KARACHI:
Pakistan and India are set to face each other in the ACC Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, September 14. The two teams are also likely to clash again in the Super four stage on September 21.
If both sides qualify for the final, the ultimate showdown would take place on September 28.
Interestingly, Pakistan and India have never faced each other in an Asia Cup final, making this year’s tournament a rare opportunity for fans to witness such a historic encounter. For now, the focus will be on the Super 4 stage, where another high-voltage contest is expected.
This match will also mark the first clash between the two nations since the political dispute in May 2025, which led to the postponement of the domestic leagues in both countries.
Life after Kohli and Rohit
For the first time since 2008, India will play Pakistan without Virat Kohli. Kohli was the heartbeat of this rivalry, producing match-winning knocks time and again. With 492 runs in just 11 T20I encounters against Pakistan, his dominance is unmatched. From his famous 82* at Melbourne in 2022, the 55* at Eden Gardens in the 2016 World Cup, or the 49 in the same year’s Asia Cup, to his 78* in the 2012 World Cup, Kohli consistently broke Pakistan’s hearts. He was named Player of the Match in most of these encounters.
Now, with Kohli and Rohit Sharma both retired after leading India to the 2024 World Cup title, India will surely miss their experience.
Pakistan, meanwhile, will also field a relatively inexperienced side with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan sidelined from T20Is after a dip in form since the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Pakistan crashed out before the Super 8 stage.
This sets the stage for a new era of rivalry—without the seasoned stars who respected and praised each other, and with fresh faces eager to make their mark.
Key players to watch
For India, Hardik Pandya remains the standout figure. With the ability to win games with both bat and ball, he has been India’s most impactful performer against Pakistan after Kohli.
Pakistan, on the other hand, will rely on Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has been in fierce form since his return to the national side. In the batting department, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Fakhar Zaman, and Hasan Nawaz will be crucial, especially in spin-friendly conditions.
Head-to-Head in T20Is
India have dominated Pakistan in T20Is, winning 10 out of 13 matches. Pakistan’s three victories came in 2012, 2021, and 2022—two of them under Babar Azam’s captaincy, including the iconic 10-wicket win at Dubai in the 2021 World Cup.
The rivalry has grown even more intense since 2021, with matches often going down to the wire. Pakistan will still be haunted by narrow defeats in recent years.
In the 2024 World Cup, they lost while chasing just 120 after requiring 47 off 47 balls with eight wickets in hand.
In the previous T20 World Cup, they failed to defend 48 off 18, as Kohli’s unbeaten 82 off 53 snatched the game for India.
In the 2022 Asia Cup, Pakistan couldn’t defend 21 runs off 12 balls against their arch-rivals in the group stage match. However, they bounced back to win the Super Four clash between the two sides by 5 wickets on the second-last ball.
The bigger picture
The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry dates back to 1952, shortly after partition. Over time, matches have often mirrored the tense political climate between the two nations, making every contest more than just a game.
Unlike ICC tournaments, the Asia Cup adds a regional flavor to this rivalry. Both teams aim to assert dominance in Asia, and the tournament has given fans unforgettable moments: Kohli’s 183 in Mirpur (2012) and Shahid Afridi’s last-over sixes against India in 2014 being two of the most iconic finishes.
Since bilateral series have been suspended for years, Asia Cup and ICC events remain the only platforms for these two cricketing giants to meet. This rarity makes every clash feel like a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
From packed stadiums in Dubai, Melbourne, Colombo, and Dhaka to millions glued to screens across the globe, the passion is unmatched. In the digital age, the rivalry explodes on social media, where memes, chants, and hashtags trend worldwide on match days.
For players, it’s about handling immense pressure. For fans, it’s about national pride. And for the sport itself, it is the ultimate showcase of drama, skill, and passion. The Asia Cup ensures that the India-Pakistan rivalry remains one of cricket’s greatest spectacles—a battle where the team that keeps its nerve will always emerge victorious.
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Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was fined $50,000 for “aggressively pursuing, berating and making inadvertent contact with a game official,” the NBA announced Saturday.
The league’s announcement said the incident happened with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter of Cleveland’s 126-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns Friday.
Atkinson was assessed his second technical foul of the game when he stormed the court after a no-call against Sam Merrill for driving on Collin Gillespie after he bumped into an official before being escorted off and ejected from the game.
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the second half in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat April 28, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
Atkinson whipped his arm against the nearby referee before the whistle was blown.
Atkinson ripped the officials in a postgame news conference.
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers during Game 2 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena in Cleveland May 6, 2025. (David Richard-Imagn Images)
“We had one free throw after three quarters against a team that [is 26th in fouls],” Atkinson said. “And the second free throw we got was after a flop. I’m not pleased. I thought the game got out of hand, quite honestly. Parts of the game seemed circus-like, quite honestly. I don’t know if that’s what we want as a league.
“Certain characters in this league take liberties, and we don’t stand up to them. And the game turns into reviews, challenges, go to the monitor for 20 minutes when we’re just trying to play basketball. I don’t think it’s good for the league, and I know it wasn’t good for us tonight. Thought they let the game get out of hand.”
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the first half against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena in Cleveland May 4, 2025. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)
The Cavaliers fell to 29-21, while Phoenix improved to 30-19.
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Inter Miami CF signed Mexico national team forward Germán Berterame from Liga MX powerhouse Monterrey, the team announced Friday.
Berterame joins Lionel Messi and the reigning MLS Cup champions as a designated player on a contract running through 2029, with a club option for an additional year.
Miami secured the deal by paying Berterame’s $15 million release clause, sources told ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano.
Mexican forward Germán Berterame joins as a Designated Player, bringing a proven goal-scoring pedigree ⚽ Welcome to Miami!
Details: https://t.co/CBJatdte0z pic.twitter.com/IlIoaBuAbc
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) January 30, 2026
“I’m leaving with a clear conscience, knowing I always gave my all for this club [Monterrey], and I hope I can return further down the road,” Berterame said in a video posted on Rayados de Monterrey social media accounts.
“This opportunity [signing with Miami] is all new; it’s a unique and fresh experience at the same time. It was unexpected, but I think it’s going to be a beautiful experience.
“When I renewed my contract [with Monterrey], I told him [Héctor Lara, the club’s sporting director], ‘I’m not leaving unless something really eye-catching comes along.’ I was obviously talking about teams from Europe. And I also said, ‘Unless, obviously, Messi comes and takes me with him.’ So that anecdote stuck.”
The Argentine-born forward, who became a naturalized Mexican in 2024, started his career in the Argentine Primera División, starring for San Lorenzo and Patronato before making his Liga MX debut with Atletico San Luis in 2019. While playing for Atletico San Luis, Berterame scored 31 goals in 93 games in all competitions and earned the Golden Boot for the 2021 Apertura tournament.
His efforts in Liga MX earned him recognition from the Mexican national team after he became eligible to play for El Tricolor. Although Berterame previously featured for the Argentina youth national team, his lack of appearances with the senior squad allowed Berterame to represent Mexico without filing a one-time switch with FIFA.
Berterame scored the winning goal for Mexico last Sunday in a World Cup warmup friendly against Bolivia.
Other MLS teams previously expressed interest in Berterame. FC Cincinnati attempted to trigger Berterame’s previous release clause, but the two parties failed to agree to complete the transfer.
Green Shirts on Saturday set several new records during their dominant 90-run win over Australia in the second T20I of the three-match series at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Opting to bat first, the home side accumulated a massive total of 198/5 in 20 overs, courtesy of blistering half-centuries from captain Salman Ali Agha and wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan.
Agha top-scored with a 40-ball 76, studded with eight fours and four sixes, while Usman smashed six boundaries, including two sixes, on his way to a 36-ball 53.
Their batting prowess helped Pakistan register their highest score against Australia in T20Is, surpassing the previous best of 194/7, which they achieved during the league-stage match of the Zimbabwe-hosted tri-series in 2018.
Set to chase a daunting 199-run target, the 2021 champions’ batting unit was dismantled by Pakistan spinners, who shared all 10 wickets between them for the first time in the shortest format, while it was the second such occurrence during a T20I between two full-member nations.
Reigning champions India were the first team to achieve the feat during their fifth away T20I against West Indies in 2022.
Overall, in T20Is, however, it was the 10th instance when the spinners took all 10 wickets.
Leading Pakistan’s spin charge were Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan, who picked up three wickets each, followed by Usman Tariq with two, while Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with one apiece, as Australia were booked 108 in 15.4 overs and thus succumbed to a gruelling 90-run defeat.
Pakistan’s 90-run victory over Australia in the recently concluded fixture is now their largest against Australia in T20Is, bettering their 66-run triumph in the first T20I of the 2018 series, played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in 2018.
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