Asia Cup final: Pakistan's go-to pair Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf carry hopes against India

Pakistan’s fast bowlers are likely to play a key role in their third meeting against their arch-rivals at the tournament

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, left, earned his 10th Player of the Match award in T20s against Bangladesh - most of any bowler. AP

Pakistan’s defence of a modest 135 against Bangladesh in what was a virtual semi-final of the 2025 Asia Cup highlighted the impact of their two leading fast bowlers, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.

Shaheen, known as a Powerplay specialist, delivered a crucial opening spell of 3-0-11-2 in the first six overs, keeping Pakistan in the contest after a disappointing batting display. That spell further cemented his reputation as a new-ball striker, taking his tally to 51 wickets in the first six overs, second only to Tim Southee (65) among bowlers from Full Member nations.

Earlier, Shaheen had also contributed with the bat, scoring a vital 19 off 13 balls, including two sixes, to spark Pakistan’s recovery. From a precarious 55-5, they managed to add 80 runs in the final eight overs.

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Shaheen then returned with the ball to produce a match-winning spell of 4-0-17-3, earning him his 10th Player of the Match award in men’s T20Is, the most by any fast bowler in history and four more than his closest rival Jasprit Bumrah (6). The all-round performance helped set up a blockbuster final against arch-rivals India in Dubai on Sunday.

While Shaheen’s effectiveness with the new ball is undisputed, there is a common misconception that Rauf isn’t suited for Powerplay bowling, a perception largely shaped by his performances in ODIs where he has taken just 15 wickets at an average of nearly 35 in the Powerplay (overs 1-10) and just one scalp in 14 overs with the new-ball during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

However, this view doesn’t hold in international T20s. Since the start of his career, Rauf has consistently been Pakistan’s go-to bowler in the Powerplay. Of 91 T20 innings he has bowled in, he has delivered at least one over in the Powerplay in 81 of them and bowled two overs in the first six on 28 occasions.

Desperate times call for bold decisions. Rauf’s ability to strike frequently makes him invaluable in high-pressure games. With a strike rate of one wicket every 15 balls (second-best among Pakistan bowlers with at least 50 T20I wickets and behind only Umar Gul’s 14), Pakistan often deploy him for two overs upfront in must-win situations, such as the recent clash against Bangladesh.

In Thursday's match in Dubai, Rauf returned figures of 2-0-17-1 in the Powerplay, removing in-form opener Saif Hasan, who had scored 61 against Sri Lanka and 69 against India in his previous two innings. While Rauf’s raw pace [he clocks around 90 mph] can sometimes be expensive, it is his wicket-taking ability that keeps Pakistan in the game.

Time and again, Rauf has delivered crucial early breakthroughs in big matches. To cite a few examples, he struck twice in the Powerplay during the 2022 Asia Cup final, the 2022 T20 World Cup final and the high-stakes group match against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the same tournament.

Pakistan and India are set to face off in the final of the men’s Asia Cup for the first time in the tournament’s 41-year history and across 17 editions in both ODI and T20 formats. The match will be held at the Dubai International Stadium, a venue known for assisting spinners. However, it is Pakistan’s fast bowlers who are expected to play the defining role in this high-octane encounter.

Pakistan’s pacers have taken 23 wickets at an impressive average of 15.91 at this Asia Cup, compared to 18 wickets at 19.83 by their spinners. While the slow bowlers have been slightly more economical, that’s largely due to them operating in the middle overs, typically a phase where scoring rates dip as batters play with more caution than they do in the Powerplay or in the final overs.

Among the Super Four teams, Pakistan’s pace attack stands out with the most wickets, best average and lowest economy rate. This suggests that despite conditions traditionally favouring spin in the UAE, Pakistan’s fast bowlers are likely to play a key role in the final.

That leads to an important strategic question: Should Pakistan consider including an additional specialist pacer in their playing XI for the final?