According to new reports, Pakistan is preparing to make two significant changes to their playing XI ahead of their eagerly awaited Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match against India in Dubai. The much-anticipated showdown is already loaded with off-field drama, and it looks like Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah will be on the bench with the management desperate to address their batting problems and add more all-round depth.

Captain Agha Salman and his team will have optimism heading into this high-pressure setting, having had a mixed group stage. They had relatively easy wins against Oman and the UAE but were beaten soundly by India, who exposed all their weaknesses on the pitch. Unfortunately for them, this has prompted the team management, whose head coach is Mike Hesson, to consider some changes to how they now play before facing their rivals again.

According to a leading broadcaster Geo's report, Pakistan are expected to include Hussain Talat and Faheem Ashraf in place of Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah. The rationale behind this is to provide additional fast-bowling all-round options to the middle order, adding batting stability and additional pace options.

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Hasan Nawaz has poorly at bat in this tournament, scoring only 17 runs in three innings for an atrocious average of 5.67. Khushdil only bat once against the UAE and scored a meager four runs. These weak performances have led to the team opting toward more experienced and well-rounded players.

The bowling balance is set for a shift as well. Pakistan has gone with multiple spin options but will likely return to Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf as pace prime-movers, with Abrar Ahmed as the primary spinner. Left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem will likely be omitted as well. The think tank suggests they wish to counter India's batting power with extra pace, a development directly attributable to earlier performances of Kuldeep Yadav against Pakistan who simply wrestled their top order during the earlier group match.

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In addition to cricketing reasons, there has been an ongoing level of controversy throughout this rivalry. Pakistan's objections to the snub of their post-match handshake, the complaints over match referee Andy Pycroft, have all contributed to an awkward atmosphere heading into the game. Even PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi made a visit to training in the hopes of boosting morale and helping the players get back on focus before this must-win battle. 

As we wait for the midday October start time, there are a number of layers to consider. The tension is building, and if we consider the stakes bordering on or already into the "high stakes," we can clearly identify what is at stake: for Pakistan it is about redemption, about keeping the 2023 World Cup campaign alive; for India it is simply about continuing their domination over their rivals, advancing to the World Cup final, and extending their undefeated World Cup record to 8-0.

Pakistan's probable XI vs India
Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Mohammad Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Haris (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

The tone for the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match is about to be set. India started their campaign with a bang. Pakistan will try to maintain the momentum they gained through winning the T20I Tri-Nation series against Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates. According to recent performances and strengths on paper, India has an upper hand over their archrival. To win a high-caliber match, teams may have to look for an X-factor. The Pakistan cricket team has an X-factor, which is Hasan Nawaz. His international stats, as of now, may not look highly intimidating, but in the recent past, the way the batter has played some exciting knocks, he can easily carry the X-factor tag. 

3 reasons why Hasan Nawaz can be a serious threat against India in the Asia Cup 2025 clash:

Unpredictable nature: As we mentioned before, his stats are definitely among the most appealing of modern cricket, but the batter has the capability to hit the ball hard and make some quick runs. Unlike an anchored innings, Nawaz can add some quick runs in a cameo role. In the Twenty20 format, during the closing moments of a match, every team tries to accumulate as many runs as possible. In T20Is, his strike rate of 167.44 is proof of his hard-hitting talent. He even has an unbeaten century in the format. 

Ability to adapt to challenging situations: When Hasan first came to play for the Pakistan cricket team, he was treated as a top-order player in place of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Then he was placed deep in the batting order, and now it seems like the Islamabad-born has finally found his right place to bat. As a number 5 batter, he may not have to face the new ball butadd value against a rough ball on a slightly used surface.

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Team India has multiple quality spinners like Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy. The young batter will have to prepare to face some of the top spinners of international cricket during the India vs. Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match, which is scheduled to take place on September 14. 

PSL 2025 form: Pakistan Super League 2025 was a dream campaign for the 23-year-old batter. For the Quetta Gladiators, he scored a total of 399 runs in 10 innings at a staggering average of 57.00, powered by a 100-run knock. In PSL, some of the pitches were slow and turned, on which the batter swiftly heaped runs. In a recent match against the UAE, Nawaz claimed a fifty-plus innings at Sharjah. 

Pakistan took on West Indies in the second T20I at the Lauderhill, Florida. After opting to bat first Pakistan scored just 135 runs and dealt a top order collapse during their innings. But it was Hasan Nawaz who came to the rescue of the team as he smashed 40 runs in just 23 deliveries.

Hasan came into bat as the sixth batter for the team when the team was reeling at 53/4. He smashed three consecutive sixes against Romario Shepherd to shift the momentum back to the team. West Indies eventually won the game by 2 wickets on the last ball of the innings.

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watch the video here: 

WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU HASSAN NAWAZ!!!

3 CONSECUTIVE SIXES TO SHEPHERD 🤯pic.twitter.com/poXUS0mIPr

— PCT Replays 2.0 (@ReplaysPCT) August 3, 2025

West Indies clinch a thriller

After restricting Pakistan for just 135 runs, West Indies were 70/5 at one point in time. Gudakesh Motie provided a helping hand in the middle scoring 28 runs as West Indies huffed and puffed their way to the win. Jason Holder saw his team through over the line and was adjudged player of the match for his unbeaten 16 runs and 4/19 with the ball.

Pakistan did what only Pakistan can surprise the world with brilliance at the very moment when you least expect it. After two disappointing showings in the first two T20Is of their five-match series against New Zealand, the visitors came back stunningly on Friday in Auckland, chasing down a record 205 in 16 overs to keep the series alive.

The overnight hero was 22-year-old Hasan Nawaz, who appeared in his third T20 International. Having scored ducks in his initial two games, the young batsman made a statement with his knock, hammering 105 from 45 deliveries to guide Pakistan's record-breaking chase. He achieved his hundred in a mere 44 deliveries, smashing Babar Azam's record for the quickest T20I hundred by a Pakistani batsman earlier 49 balls against South Africa in 2021.

- He's 22 Year old.
- He's playing debut series.
- Vs New Zealand in NZ.
- Chasing 205 runs.
- Smashed fastest T20I Hundred for PAK.
- He scored 105*(45).

HASAN NAWAZ - A SPECIAL TALENT FOR PAKISTAN. ⭐ pic.twitter.com/Lefb94GhxG

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) March 21, 2025

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Pakistan reached the target with nine wickets in hand, producing one of their most comprehensive performances in recent times. Skipper Salman Ali Agha played the ideal supporting role, staying unbeaten on 51 off 31 balls.

The 205 chase is now Pakistan's second-highest successful T20I run chase and the joint-highest overseas an assertive reaction from a side under pressure following consecutive losses.

With the series currently standing at 2-1 in favor of New Zealand, Pakistan will hope that this nail-biting victory is the catalyst they need to bring the tide around.