Former captain picks key players for Pakistan's Asia Cup 2025 clash against India

Former captain Salman Butt has named Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Afridi as key players for Pakistan against India during the high-intensity clash in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025.

After taking on Oman in their opening match, Pakistan will face India in the continental tournament on September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS).

During a podcast appearance on a sports platform, Butt named India as the favorite.

“Pakistan can win, but they don’t start as favourites. That’s clear. On paper, you’re not the favourites. So maybe it’s 70–30, or 65–35, those are the percentages as I see them,” he said.

He revealed key players for Pakistan who could change the course of the match with their performances.

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“Fakhar Zaman is the one. If Shaheen [Afridi] takes three wickets up front — he has done that before — then India’s whole batting lineup gets unsettled. That’s how last time you got a target of around 150. So one brilliant spell of bowling or one extended batting cameo can change everything,” Salman Butt remarked.

The former captain emphasized extended contribution from the batter, reiterating that India has the upper hand due to their team balance.

“By cameo, I don’t mean just scoring a quick 30. You’ll need an extended cameo — and a player like him can deliver that. But on paper, if you look at performances, experience, output, and even confidence levels, then I think India has the upper hand.”

The 40-year-old highlighted India’s dual nature and bold claims of playing with three teams simultaneously.

“Yes, India tends to exaggerate a lot and makes big claims — they can even put out three full teams at once. If you look at the system that has been running until recently, that’s true,” he concluded.

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