Having been defeated by India twice in the tournament, Pakistan heads into Sunday’s Asia Cup final as the underdogs against their arch-rivals at the Dubai International Stadium.
Pakistan has not won a cricket match against India in two limited-overs formats since October 2022.
However, these statistics haven’t dampened the enthusiasm of Pakistan fans, who gathered at the ICC Academy on Saturday to cheer on their team during training.
Among the supporters was Mohammad Zaman, who traveled from Pakistan to Dubai for the final.
Zaman applied for a UAE visa before the Asia Cup began but only received it on Friday.
“Just like the Pakistan team, which struggled to reach the final, I faced difficulties getting the UAE visa. Now that I’m here and the team is in the final, I’m thrilled for tomorrow’s match and hopeful for a Pakistan victory,” Zaman told the Khaleej Times.
A devoted Pakistan team fan, Zaman quit his job in 2012 for the Asia Cup when his manager denied his leave request.
“The Asia Cup was in Bangladesh that year, and I wanted to support Pakistan. My manager didn’t approve my leave, so I left my job and went to Bangladesh,” he recalled.
“I remember meeting the famous Indian fan Sudhir Chaudhary, who biked to Bangladesh to support India. It was an incredible experience, and Pakistan won the Asia Cup!”
Hussain Lala, another Pakistan fan, hopes the team will draw inspiration from Imran Khan’s 1992 World Cup-winning team.
“Pakistan has a history of winning finals after struggling in early tournament matches,” he said.
“The 1992 World Cup is a great example. That team faced many challenges but reached the final. We know what happened in that final against England.”
Asif Khan Lala, a Pakistani expat in Dubai, acknowledges the challenge of facing the formidable Indian team in the final.
“It’s crucial how Shaheen Shah Afridi bowls to Abhishek Sharma. Abhishek has dominated him in the last two matches. We’ll see if Shaheen can respond tomorrow,” said Khan, who has watched all of Pakistan’s matches in the tournament.
“I paid 700 dirhams for the final ticket. The team will get tremendous support from the fans. They just need to play well to win.”
