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India held a three-hour training session in the UAE, while Pakistan prepared for their tri-series final. Both teams stuck to routines with no interaction between players.
India and Pakistan cross paths for the first time ahead of Asia Cup
The Asia Cup 2025 is around the corner, and the teams have assembled in the UAE to participate in the premium continental championship. The tourney begins September 9 with Hong Kong taking on Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. Team India will be in focus the following day as the men in blue will open their campaign against the UAE.
The spotlight will be on the high-profile India vs Pakistan match on September 14 in Dubai. It will be their first meeting in 2025, also, since the Pulwama attack strained relations between the two nations. While the fixture has initially drawn mixed reactions, it is now set to go ahead as scheduled.
Meanwhile, the Indian team has kicked off their preparation in the UAE. Under the watchful eyes of head coach Gautam Gambhir, the Indian contingent underwent a couple of training sessions at the ICC Cricket Academy in Dubai.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, India held their second training session after arriving in the UAE for the tournament. The practice lasted over three hours, with all specialist batters spending close to an hour in the middle.
Meanwhile, Pakistan also trained ahead of their tri-series final against Afghanistan. Both sides kept to their routines, with no exchanges or interactions between players from the two camps.
“Pakistan batted at the nets area tucked away in a quiet corner, away from the prying eyes. They prepped on surfaces that offered turn, bite and uneven bounce,” the report stated.
India’s Bronco Drill In The UAE
The report further stated that the men in blue performed a bronco drill on Saturday evening.
“The squad split into three groups of five. Trainer Adrian Le Roux called the shots, Sitanshu Kotak kept score, while head coach Gautam Gambhir turned cheerleader,” the report stated.
“The exercise wasn’t about results as much as it was about simulating match-day conditions if India field first in the heat,” it added.
After resting on Sunday, Suryakumar Yadav & Co. are lined up to have two more training sessions before getting into their campaign opener against the UAE on Tuesday.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
September 08, 2025, 12:00 IST
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