28,000 fans to pack Dubai stadium for first-ever Pakistan-India Asia Cup final

The Dubai International Stadium is set for a capacity crowd of 28,000 this Sunday as India and Pakistan square off in the Asia Cup final. All tickets have already been snapped up, ensuring the venue will be packed for what promises to be one of the most anticipated cricket matches in recent years.

When the two sides met in the group stage on September 14, about 20,000 fans turned up. Their Super Four clash on September 21 pulled in 17,000. The final, however, is on another level — the “sold out” sign went up days before the match.

This will be a first in the competition’s four-decade history: India and Pakistan have never before contested an Asia Cup final. The stakes, already high given the rivalry, are even greater this time around.

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India come in with confidence, having beaten Pakistan twice in this edition, while Pakistan had to fight hard to reach the decider after a shaky Super Four campaign that nearly ended against Bangladesh.

On paper, India have the edge. They have dominated recent T20 encounters, winning 12 of the last 15. Yet Pakistan have shown resilience, clawing their way into the final when many had written them off.

Injury worries briefly clouded India’s camp when opener Abhishek Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya suffered cramps against Sri Lanka, but team officials have confirmed both are fit and ready. With two full-strength squads, Sunday’s final is expected to deliver the kind of drama that only an India-Pakistan contest can.