'Mark my words': Akhtar tells Pakistan how to beat India in Asia Cup final

Former Pakistan accelerated bowler Shoaib Akhtar shared his insights up of the Asia Cup 2025 last betwixt India and Pakistan astatine the Dubai International Stadium connected Sunday, emphasizing that Pakistan tin flooded their erstwhile 2 losses against India successful the tourney if they absorption connected dismissing cardinal Indian batsman Abhishek Sharma aboriginal and support an assertive approach.Pakistan's caller encounters with India successful the Asia Cup 2025 person been marked by heated exchanges, peculiarly during the Super 4s lucifer wherever Pakistani pacers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi engaged successful verbal confrontations with Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and

Shubman Gill

, though India emerged victorious.

Abhishek Sharma has been instrumental successful India's occurrence passim the tournament, scoring 74 runs disconnected 35 balls successful the erstwhile lucifer against Pakistan, which helped India pursuit down 172 runs with 7 balls remaining.

He besides demonstrated his batting prowess against Bangladesh with a quick-fire 75 runs disconnected 37 balls.Akhtar specifically highlighted the value of targeting Abhishek Sharma successful the aboriginal overs of the match. "Come retired of this mindset, support their aura aside. Just interruption their aura. Just play with this mindset that you had successful the lucifer against Bangladesh. This is the benignant of mindset you need. You don't request to vessel 20 overs; you conscionable request to get wickets," Akhtar said connected the 'Game On Hai' programme.

"Mark my words, if Abhishek Sharma gets retired successful the archetypal 2 overs, they volition get successful trouble. The starts they are getting, they are going to conflict if Abhishek gets retired early. It's not similar that, Abhishek volition not mistime the ball; helium volition bash that; you conscionable request to spell for the kill. If you travel retired fighting, India volition realise that we person to enactment hard for our runs," Akhtar added.The Rawalpindi Express besides shared his position connected India's caput manager

Gautam Gambhir

's apt attack to the final. "I cognize Gautam Gambhir. He volition archer his squad that 'you request to bring your A crippled against Pakistan'.

Pakistan volition play the worst cricket, they volition prime the worst side, but arsenic soon arsenic they scope the final, they play the champion cricket, and they triumph the finals. It has happened truthful my times with us," said Akhtar.

Before the highly anticipated final, India is scheduled to play their past Super 4s lucifer against Sri Lanka connected Friday, September 26, astatine the Dubai International Stadium.The erstwhile Pakistani speedster, known for being 1 of the fastest bowlers successful cricket history, advised Pakistan's squad to shed their inhibitions and follow an assertive mindset akin to their attack against Bangladesh.The upcoming last presents an accidental for Pakistan to reverse their fortunes against India successful the tournament, wherever they person faced defeats successful their erstwhile encounters contempt showing competitory tone and engaging successful aggravated on-field battles.The lucifer promises to beryllium a important contention betwixt 2 cricket powerhouses, with Pakistan looking to flooded their caller setbacks and India aiming to support their winning momentum successful the tournament.