Pakistan

Who: India vs Pakistan
What: ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
When: Sunday, October 5 at 09:30 GMT
Where: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have live build-up from 06:30 GMT ahead of our text commentary stream.

Cricket could take the backseat on yet another Sunday when India meet Pakistan in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 in Colombo amid lingering political tension between the South Asian neighbours.

The eagerly awaited group-stage fixture will likely be bookended by questions surrounding the now-infamous handshakes between both sides as the captains meet at the pre-match coin toss, and at the end of the match, when both squads traditionally step back on the field.

When India and Pakistan’s men’s teams met in the Asia Cup 2025, the Indian team and its captain did not shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in all three fixtures at the tournament, leading to furore and backlash that marred the tournament.

A top official of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has not ruled out a “no handshake” policy for the Women’s World Cup fixture, as well.

“Whether there will be handshakes, whether there will be hugging, I cannot assure you of anything,” BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia told the BBC’s Stumped podcast.

“I cannot forecast anything, but our relationship with that particular hostile country is the same. There is no change in the last week.”

‘Focus on the game’

While it may seem that cricket has been, once again, pushed into the background, both teams want to overlook the controversial build-up and focus on the game instead.

“Obviously, we know what’s happening around us, but we try to stay focused on the game because the World Cup is an event every player waits for,” Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana said on Saturday.

Sana, whose team were comprehensively beaten by Bangladesh in their opening match, said Pakistan will “focus on the tournament and on what we have come here for” when asked to comment on the “outside noise”.

The last time India played Pakistan at the Women’s World Cup, the players’ off-field interactions left an indelible mark on the game and earned widespread praise from the fans.

At the 2022 tournament in New Zealand, Pakistan’s then-captain Bismah Maroof was surrounded by a group of Indian players as they cooed over her six-month-old daughter Fatima.

Jokes were shared, selfies were taken, and memories were made as players from the rival nations bonded outside their dressing rooms well after the match was over.

Sana, who was part of the Pakistan squad in 2022, was asked whether the players will miss the spirit and camaraderie from three years ago.

“We try to maintain healthy relationships with every team,” Sana replied.

“What happened with Bismah’s daughter, when everyone mingled and enjoyed together – as players, we all like such moments, but the main thing is to stay focused [on the game].”

When the same question was posed to India’s bowling coach Aavishankar Salvi, the journalist was notified that India will not answer it.

However, Salvi did say that India – who beat Sri Lanka in their opening game by 59 runs – will also “focus on the cricket” on Sunday.

#Throwback to this beautiful moment from the 2022 World Cup involving Bismah Maroof’s daughter and Indian girls ❤️#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/PuxFEC5O1Y

— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 25, 2024

‘The world will be watching’

“We want our girls to take it just as a game because the World Cup is a long campaign and there will be a lot of games coming our way,” he said.

“When you enter a big tournament, the area of focus is only cricket, and it’s good to have the players into a good [head] space.”

The fixture is expected to draw huge viewing figures and organisers will expect a sizeable crowd at the ground, as well.

Sana, who also led Pakistan in their match against India in the T20 World Cup 2024, admitted such factors make it a high-pressure fixture and one that “the whole world will be watching”.

“There is pressure but the main thing is how we handle it. We’ll try to focus on our game, execute our plans, and play the way we’ve prepared.”

What happened in the last India vs Pakistan women’s cricket match?

The teams last met in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Dubai, where India emerged victorious by six wickets.

When was the last time Pakistan beat India in women’s cricket?

Pakistan have only beaten India on three occasions, the last of which came on October 7 at the T20 Women’s Asia Cup 2022. Nida Dar’s all-round performance sealed Pakistan’s 13-run win in Bangladesh.

Will it rain in Colombo during the India vs Pakistan match?

Rain is expected in the early hours of Sunday in Khettarama, the neighbourhood that houses the R Premadasa Stadium in Sri Lanka’s capital.

The weather will remain cloudy throughout the day, with light showers expected to return later in the evening, as well. This could lead to delays or disruption of play.

There was plenty of rainfall on Saturday before Sri Lanka’s match against Australia at the same venue. The persistent rain led to the match being called off without any play.

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in women’s ODIs

India hold an 11-0 lead over their neighbours in women’s ODIs. All of India’s wins have come with comfortable margins, including the 107-run victory at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 in New Zealand.

Players to watch: India

• Smriti Mandhana: Widely regarded as the best limited-over batters in present-day women’s cricket, Mandhana has swept most women’s ODI records in the past two years. She is the top-ranked ODI batter by a distance and was the leading run-scorer in the format in 2024. The Indian vice-captain has scored four ODI centuries in 2025, the most by any player in the current year.
• Deepti Sharma: The all-rounder poses an equal threat with bat and ball, and has performed well against Pakistan in previous encounters. Sharma’s right-arm off-break bowling will be a big threat for Pakistan’s batters. She took three wickets and scored 54 runs in India’s World Cup opening win against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Players to watch: Pakistan

• Sidra Amin: The veteran batter recently became the top ODI century-maker for her country with her sixth ton in the series against South Africa. She comes into the crucial match with good run-scoring form and is regarded as the mainstay of Pakistan’s batting attack against a strong Indian bowling line-up.
• Nashra Sandhu: The unassuming slow left-arm bowler has been Pakistan’s go-to spin option in recent years and is third on the list of top ODI wicket-takers for her country. Sandhu has taken 16 wickets in Pakistan’s nine ODIs in 2025, including six in a match against South Africa on September 22.

Form guide: India

India entered the World Cup with a home series loss and an away series win in the bag. They were tested by Sri Lanka in the tournament’s opening game, but recovered well to begin their World Cup campaign with a win.

Last five ODIs (latest result first): W L W L W L

Form guide: Pakistan

Pakistan’s form has dipped after their five-match unbeaten run at home in the World Cup qualifiers, where they beat Bangladesh, Thailand and the West Indies to book a place in this tournament. Sana’s team lost a home ODI series to South Africa and then suffered a dramatic batting collapse in their opening World Cup game against Bangladesh.

Last five ODIs (latest result first): L W L L W

Team news: India

India are expected to name an unchanged XI for their second match of the tournament.

Predicted XI: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud, Shree Charani.

Team news: Pakistan

Pakistan are likely to field the same XI that lost to Bangladesh, but there could be a case for replacing Natalia Pervaiz with in-form all-rounder Aroob Shah.

Predicted XI: Muneeba Ali, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Amin, Rameen Shamim, Aliya Riaz, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper), Fatima Sana (captain), Natalia Pervaiz, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal.

The United States’s 20-point plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza is not the same as the draft proposed by a group of Arab and Muslim countries, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said.

“I made it clear that the 20 points that President (Donald) Trump made public are not ours. Changes were made to our draft. I have the record,” Dar said, speaking to politicians on Friday, according to remarks carried by Dawn news.

His comments come after the White House on Monday released a plan with fanfare that would include a ceasefire, the return of all captives, Hamas disarmament, and a new political architecture for post-war Gaza – one that would exclude the Palestinian group.

Its release came a few minutes before Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood next to each other at the White House to announce the plan. There, Trump told Hamas it had 72 hours to accept the proposal. On Tuesday, he gave the Palestinian group three to four days to agree to the plan.

Meanwhile, Hamas political bureau member Mohammad Nazzal told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the group was discussing Trump’s plan and would soon announce its position on the proposal. “We are not dealing [with the plan] under the logic that time is a sword pointed at our neck,” Nazzal said.

The published document was presented as a joint effort between Israel, the US and a number of Arab and Muslim countries. Last week, several leaders from the Arab and Muslim world discussed the plan at a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

But while there are no official records of what was discussed at that mini-summit, Axios reported that the proposal announced by the American and Israeli leaders earlier this week contained “significant changes”, requested by Netanyahu, to the draft that had been agreed on by the Arab leaders and Trump.

The amendments were made during a six-hour meeting between Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Netanyahu, the report said. The revised version ties Israel’s withdrawal to Hamas’s disarmament and allows Israel – after a withdrawal in stages – to remain within a buffer zone inside the enclave until there are no risks of any “terror threat”, it added.

A group of eight Arab and Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Qatar, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, welcomed Trump’s announcement in a joint statement.

Qatar has said that it agrees with the aims of the plan, and seeks further discussions on its details.

“If we speak of the main objectives, there are objectives that it [the US plan] achieves, such as ending the war, and there are things that need clarification, which certainly need discussions and negotiations,” Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani told Al Jazeera.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also said that more talks were needed. According to the US proposal, an international body chaired by Trump would have oversight, while a Palestinian technocratic committee would handle civilian governance until the Palestinian Authority reforms itself. To take care of security, according to the proposal, a stabilisation force would be deployed.

“There are a lot of holes that need to be filled; we need more discussions on how to implement it, especially on two important issues – governance and security arrangements,” Abdelatty said on Thursday.

Experts pointed out that there are sticking points. There are questions on whether Hamas will agree to disarm since it has repeatedly said it would not, as the main face of Palestinian armed resistance.

The current proposal also nods vaguely at how reforms may open a pathway to Palestinian statehood, which is not recognised as a right but as the “aspiration of the Palestinian people”.

The plan does not mention the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza – a significant shift from Trump’s earlier lambasted position when he suggested the relocation of the population outside the enclave to turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, which was heavily criticised as ethnic cleansing.

It also ruled out the occupation of Gaza and the annexation of the occupied West Bank – actions that Netanya’s far-right coalition members are pushing for.

Should Hamas refuse the deal, Trump ominously told Netanyahu, “You will have our full backing to do what you have to do.”

Islamabad, Pakistan – An uneasy calm hangs over Pakistan-administered Kashmir as the region marked the fourth day of a complete shutdown on Thursday, with at least 15 people killed – including three police officers – during violent clashes between protesters and security forces.

Dozens more have been injured on both sides as the standoff continues.

The federal government has dispatched a negotiating committee that arrived on Thursday in Muzaffarabad, the territory’s capital, to hold crucial talks with the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an umbrella organisation representing traders and civil society groups that has emerged as the voice of grassroots discontent across the region.

Led by activist Shaukat Nawaz Mir, the JAAC-organised lockdown commenced on September 29 and has brought several districts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir – locally known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) – to a grinding halt.

The government, on its part, has meanwhile imposed a complete communications blackout, with residents cut off from mobile telecommunications and internet access since September 28.

In Muzaffarabad, the usually bustling markets have remained shuttered, while street vendors and public transport have vanished from the roads. The paralysis has left the region’s roughly four million residents in a state of uncertainty.

The government said in a statement that authorities were working to restore order and urged the public not to be swayed by what officials described as propaganda and “fake news” circulating on social media as part of a “specific agenda”.

This JAAC-led protest – the third such major mobilisation in the past two years – erupted after the government failed to agree to the committee’s 38-point demands, according to the group’s leaders.

The current crisis marks the latest escalation in a two-year confrontation between Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s local government and a grassroots movement that has shown its street power on several occasions.

What sparked the protests?

The Kashmir valley is the picturesque yet deeply contentious Himalayan region over which Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars since both nations gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Both control parts of it, with China also administering two slivers of the region’s north. The region is claimed in its entirety by India, while Pakistan claims all of Kashmir except the parts held by China, its ally.

With a population exceeding four million, according to the 2017 census, Pakistan-administered Kashmir operates under a semi-autonomous system with its own prime minister and legislative assembly.

The current unrest has roots in May 2023, when residents first took to the streets to protest against what they said were skyrocketing electricity bills. Simultaneously, complaints emerged about widespread flour smuggling and acute shortages in subsidised wheat supplies.

By August 2023, these disparate grievances had coalesced into organised resistance. In September of that year, hundreds of activists gathered in Muzaffarabad to formally establish the JAAC, bringing together representatives from all districts of the region.

The movement reached its first major flashpoint in May 2024, when protesters launched a long march towards Muzaffarabad. Violent clashes ensued, resulting in the deaths of at least five people, including a police officer.

The violent protests were suspended only after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif agreed to key demands to slash flour prices and reduce electricity tariffs, with the government allocating billions of rupees in subsidies to make flour affordable and support electricity price reductions.

However, the peace proved short-lived. In August of this year, the JAAC announced it would launch another lockdown, this time broadening its critique beyond economic grievances.

Why are protesters dissatisfied, and what are their demands?

The latest charter of demands presented by the JAAC consists of 38 distinct points. The demands range from providing free education and healthcare facilities and launching major infrastructure projects to changing the structure of the provincial legislature.

But topping the list is the abolition of what the JAAC characterises as “ruling elite privileges”, a demand that has featured prominently in previous sets of grievances as well.

The JAAC maintains that following the May 2024 protests, the government acknowledged that a judicial commission would be formed to review “privileges granted to high government officials”.

Some of the perks provided to senior government officials, such as ministers, include two government-provided vehicles, personal staff including bodyguards, as well as unlimited fuel for vehicles they use for government work.

A second key demand, incorporated into the JAAC’s list for the first time, involves ending the system of 12 reserved seats for refugees in the autonomous region’s legislative assembly.

According to the JAAC, refugees and their descendants, who migrated from Indian-administered Kashmir after the 1947 partition, now constitute a powerful political bloc that has monopolised development funds.

The charter also demands the withdrawal of legal cases filed against activists during the protests that erupted in 2023 and 2024.

Demands also include tax exemptions and improved employment opportunities, among others.

Infrastructure development features prominently in the JAAC’s vision. The committee has demanded new projects, including tunnels and bridges connecting the mountainous region with the rest of Pakistan, apart from an international airport.

Muzaffarabad currently has an airport that has remained nonoperational for years. However, in April of this year, Prime Minister Sharif formed a committee to work on reviving the project. He also issued instructions to examine the feasibility of the development of another airport in Mirpur, the second-largest city in the region.

How is the government responding?

The local administration has implemented a communications blackout and has ordered educational institutions shut indefinitely.

More controversially, it has called for paramilitary forces as well as additional police contingents from the rest of Pakistan.

The JAAC has objected to the deployment of paramilitary forces. Mir, the JAAC leader, told reporters earlier this week that with local police already present, “there was no need to order paramilitary from mainland Pakistan”.

Abdul Majid Khan, the finance minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, acknowledged that while there had already been a first round of negotiations, a new committee had now arrived in Muzaffarabad specifically tasked with addressing the protesters’ grievances.

“Initially, when they launched their protest last year, it was all about electricity and flour price, and we agreed on those. But they also must understand that things cannot happen overnight, and they take time,” Khan said, defending the government.

However, Khan acknowledged that while the government has agreed to most of the JAAC’s 38 points, negotiations have reached a deadlock on two particularly contentious issues – the elimination of the 12 reserved seats for refugees and what the JAAC calls ending “ruling elite perks”.

The minister challenged the logic behind eliminating seats reserved for refugees, pointing to what they lost at the time of the subcontinent’s partition.

“These are the people whose families migrated from India, where they were landowners and businesspeople, but moved to Pakistan in abject poverty, having left their wealth behind, but JAAC thinks it is unjust to give them a quota of seats. If we don’t give these people the rights, then why did they even go through the trouble of moving here?” Khan argued.

The minister himself belongs to the estimated 2.7 million people in the region whose families migrated from Indian-administered Kashmir.

Khan also questioned the logic of renewed protests, given that the JAAC’s previous demands had largely been met. He said that for many of the current issues, local authorities must seek funding from the federal government in Islamabad.

“There is barely any taxation on the people here, with already reduced electricity tariffs. Additionally, we have less than 5,000 tax filers in the entire region, which shows little revenue generation for the government,” he said.

What happens next?

Thursday’s negotiations between government representatives and JAAC members concluded without any resolution, with the next round of talks expected on Friday.

Both sides publicly profess their commitment to dialogue, but distrust runs deep after repeated cycles of promises and disappointments.

Despite the JAAC’s persistent protests, the government maintains it has met most demands and that constitutional and electoral reforms require legislative processes that cannot happen overnight.

Khan indicated that once there is meaningful progress in negotiations, the government will move quickly to restore internet and mobile services, which he said “had to be curtailed due to the situation on the ground”.

“With the negotiation team being present in Muzaffarabad, I am sure there will be a solution to this deadlock, and things will return to normalcy soon,” Khan said.

Cricketing wisdom would tell you that you can’t win a 100-over game in the first over, but you can go a long way to losing it.

That is certainly how Pakistan will view it with two of their top three – Omaima Sohail and Ameen – gone for golden ducks thanks to the new-ball brilliance of Marufa Akter.

The 20-year-old had the ball hooping from the off and with just her fifth delivery she produced a superb swinging delivery that beat Omaima through the gate and crashed into middle and leg.

Next ball she was at it again. Slightly wider this time, but the same prodigious swing back into the right-hander – with a bit of help from Ameen’s inside edge – made a mess of the stumps once more.

“How Marufa bowled in the powerplay – she stole the show!” Joty said after the match.

“She’s very young, but she’s very mature and she knows her role very well. Everyone backed her up very well, but she was incredible.”

It was Ameen’s first duck in a one-day international since February 2019 and, given the form she has been in, it seemed to shock Pakistan.

With scores of 121 not out, 122, 50 not out and 37 not out in her past four innings, the significance of Ameen’s wicket for Bangladesh was huge.

Marufa’s impact lessened once the swing diminished, but the Bangladesh spinners were ready and waiting to do their part.

All six bowlers used claimed at least one wicket, with leg-spinner Shorna Akter taking 3-5 and left-armer Nahida Akter 2-19.

There was no respite for Pakistan, and any hopes they had of defending such a low total were scuppered by the class and coolness of Jhilik on debut.

Video from Pakistan shows an explosion outside a paramilitary headquarters in Quetta, where authorities say at least 10 people were killed and dozens injured in a suicide car bombing.

Islamabad, Pakistan – A powerful car bomb blast outside the headquarters of Pakistan’s paramilitary Frontier Corps in the southwestern city of Quetta has killed at least 10 people and wounded more than 30 others, authorities said.

The explosion, swiftly followed by heavy gunfire, tore through the vicinity of Zarghoon Road in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, on Tuesday.

“Two law enforcement personnel were killed while the rest of the dead were civilians,” Bakht Muhammad Kakar, the provincial health minister, told Al Jazeera.

A security camera video posted on social media showed a vehicle turning towards the regional headquarters of the Frontier Corps and exploding within seconds.

Naresh Kumar, a witness, said he was standing outside his office close to the targeted building when the explosion took place. “My mind just went blank. I got hit by shards of glasses in my arm and back. The explosion was just massive,” Kumar told Al Jazeera.

Inam, another injured person who only gave his first name, was brought to the hospital where he was treated for wounds after glass shards injured his back due to the explosion.

“Our office is right around the paramilitary building. We were working in our office when the explosion totally rocked us and then everything went dark. I could hear firing which lasted for a while before the law enforcement arrived to take control,” he told Al Jazeera via telephone from the hospital.

Balochistan’s Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the incident, labelling it a “terrorist attack”. Speaking after the blast, Bugti confirmed that at least four attackers were killed by the security personnel.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari issued a strong condemnation over the attack, saying, “The misguided extremists were acting on India’s agenda.” He did not give details.

India has not yet responded to the allegation. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Balochistan’s economic significance

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest yet most sparsely populated province. Home to about 15 million people in a country of roughly 240 million, it remains the country’s poorest province despite possessing vast reserves of oil, coal, gold, copper, and gas. While these resources contribute substantially to the revenues of the federal government, the province itself faces economic hardships.

Balochistan is also home to Gwadar, a strategic deep-sea port which is the centrepiece of $60bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project designed to establish a trade link between southwestern China and the Arabian Sea.

However, Chinese investments, particularly in Balochistan, have fuelled local resentments. Residents accuse Chinese firms of “stealing local resources” and this sentiment has repeatedly driven local armed groups to attack Chinese personnel and installations.

The province also has the Reko Diq reserves, which are said to contain the world’s fifth-largest copper deposits.

Canadian firm Barrick Mining has been operating at the site since 2022. Earlier this month, Pakistan also signed a $500m deal with a United States-based firm to export critical minerals and rare earth elements.

The local resentments have fuelled a rebellion movement for decades, which aims to establish an independent Balochistan state.

As violence escalates in the province, analysts have questioned the government’s ability in eliminating the armed and rebel groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) or the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF).

Muhammad Arif, an expert on international relations, said the demography of Balochistan is complex for both the violent groups as well as the government as he pointed out a logistical challenge inherent in the province’s topography.

“It is not possible for non-state actors to take control of the region of Balochistan with its vast, difficult terrain, but at the same time, the security of each and every corner of the state is difficult for the same reasons,” he said.

Arif suggested that a recent surge in violence could be linked to the government’s counter-insurgency operations.

“It is believed that the Baloch Liberation Army and other groups have suffered heavy casualties in the last couple of weeks, with the Pakistani forces helped by Chinese communication equipment along with drones and Pakistani jet fighters. [Tuesday’s] attack could be a retaliation move,” the Quetta-based analyst told Al Jazeera.

Additional reporting by Saadullah Akhter in Quetta.

United States President Donald Trump has proposed a 20-point peace plan to end the war in Gaza after holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed the proposal.

The new proposal, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas, has been welcomed by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs in the occupied West Bank, along with some regional Arab countries.

Hamas says that it is studying the US proposal “in good faith”, while the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group says that the plan is a “recipe to blow up the region”.

Below are the reactions from regional and Western countries.

Palestine

The PA said that it welcomes the “sincere and tireless efforts to end the war on Gaza, and affirms its confidence in his ability to find a path to peace”.

“It reiterates its shared commitment to working with the United States, regional countries, and partners to end the war on Gaza through a comprehensive agreement that guarantees the delivery of adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza, the release of hostages and prisoners,” it said in a statement published by the Palestinian afa news agency.

It also called for the “establishment of mechanisms that protect the Palestinian people, ensure respect for the ceasefire and security for both parties, prevent the annexation of land and the displacement of Palestinians, halt unilateral actions that violate international law, release Palestinian tax funds, lead to a full Israeli withdrawal, and unify Palestinian land and institutions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” it said.

“It also ends the occupation and paves the way for a just peace based on the two-state solution, with an independent and sovereign State of Palestine living side by side with the State of Israel in security, peace, and good neighborliness, in accordance with international law,” the statement added.

The PIJ, a Palestinian armed group fighting alongside Hamas, called Trump’s plan a “recipe for continued aggression against the Palestinian people. Through this, Israel is attempting – via the United States – to impose what it could not achieve through war,” the group said in a statement.

“Therefore, we consider the American-Israeli declaration a formula for igniting the region.”

Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye UAE

The foreign ministers of the above countries released a joint statement welcoming Trump’s “sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza, and assert their confidence in his ability to find a path to peace”.

“Along these lines, the ministers welcome the announcement by President Trump regarding his proposal to end the war, rebuild Gaza, prevent the displacement of the Palestinian people and advance a comprehensive peace, as well as his announcement that he will not allow the annexation of the West Bank,” the statement added.

The statement went on to say that the countries are willing to work with the “United States to end the war in Gaza through a comprehensive deal that ensures unrestricted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinians, the release of hostages, a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides, full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilds Gaza and creates a path for a just peace on the basis of the two state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in a Palestinian state in accordance with international law as key to achieving regional stability and security”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Erdogan has hailed Trump for his efforts to broker a ceasefire.

“I commend US President Donald Trump’s efforts and leadership aimed at halting the bloodshed in Gaza and achieving a ceasefire,” Erdogan said in a statement.

He added that Turkiye would continue to support the diplomatic process, and is committed to helping establish “a just and lasting peace acceptable to all parties”.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

Sharif posted on X that he welcomed the plan.

“I am also convinced that durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential in bringing political stability and economic growth to the region,” he wrote.

“It is also my firm belief that President Trump is fully prepared to assist in whatever way necessary to make this extremely important and urgent understanding to become a reality.

“I laud President Trump’s leadership and the vital role played by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in bringing an end to this war.”

He added: “I also strongly believe that the implementation of the two state proposal is essential to ensure lasting peace in the region.”

Israeli opposition politician Benny Gantz

Gantz said on X: “I laud President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to secure a hostage deal and safeguard Israeli security. Now is the time for initiative.”

“President Trump’s plan must be implemented, our hostages brought home, Israel’s operational freedom maintained, Hamas’ terror regime in Gaza replaced and moderate Arab States instated instead as I proposed a year and a half ago.

“We must not miss out on the opportunity to bring back the hostages, safeguard our security and catalyse a ‘Strategic Flip’ expanding the circles of regional normalisation,” he added.

France

“I expect Israel to engage resolutely on this basis. Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement on X.

“These elements must pave the way for in-depth discussions with all relevant partners to build a lasting peace in the region, based on the two-state solution and on the principles endorsed by 142 UN member states, at the initiative of France and Saudi Arabia.”

United Kingdom

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US Administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery, by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages.”

The controversial former prime minister, Tony Blair, called the plan “bold and intelligent”, adding that it “can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, the chance of a brighter and better future for its people, whilst ensuring Israel’s absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages”.

Blair used to be an international envoy for the Middle East and was named by Trump as a member of his “board of peace” for Gaza.

Italy

Italy welcomed the proposal in a statement, saying that it “could mark a turning point, enabling a permanent cessation of hostilities, the immediate release of all hostages, and full and secure humanitarian access for the civilian population”.

Hamas, it added, “now has the opportunity to end it [war] by releasing the hostages, agreeing to have no role in Gaza’s future, and fully disarming”.

Spain

Spain, one of the most vocal critics of Israeli genocide in Gaza, has also welcomed Trump’s peace proposal.

“We must put an end to so much suffering,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on X.

“It is time for the violence to cease, for the immediate release of all the hostages to take place, and for humanitarian aid to be provided to the civilian population.

“The two-State solution, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, is the only possible one.”

India’s cricket team hoisted an imaginary trophy after winning the 2025 Asia Cup against Pakistan, refusing to accept the real one from Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The match came four months after a brief aerial war between the two nuclear-armed rivals over a deadly attack on a tourist area in Indian-administered Kashmir.

EXPLAINER

From tournament format to venues and top players to watch, here’s Al Jazeera’s guide to the Women’s Cricket World Cup.

Women’s cricket will take centre stage when eight nations compete in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s World Cup 2025 in India and Sri Lanka from Tuesday.

Australia are the defending champions and record seven-time winners of the one-day international (ODI) competition , but in-form India are favourites to break their World Cup drought at home.

Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament:

When are the first match and final of the Women’s World Cup?

The World Cup begins when India host Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday and will conclude with the final on Sunday, November 2.

Why will some World Cup games be played in Sri Lanka if India is the official host?

While India was confirmed as the tournament’s official host earlier this year, Sri Lanka was added as a neutral venue for games involving Pakistan.

It came as a result of an ICC-brokered agreement between India and Pakistan that allows both countries the option of playing their games at a neutral venue for a tournament hosted by either South Asian nation. The neighbours have not visited each other for a bilateral cricket competition in 13 years and shared an intense four-day military and aerial conflict in May.

Guwahati is set to host the first semifinal but the venue will change to Colombo if Pakistan qualify for the last four.

Navi Mumbai will host the second semifinal, which will be India’s designated last-four clash if they qualify.

The venue for the final can also be moved to Colombo should Pakistan enter their first Women’s World Cup final.

Where are the venues of the Women’s World Cup?

• Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai, India
• Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, India
• Holkar Stadium, Indore, India
• Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, India
• R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Which teams are in the Women’s World Cup, and how did they qualify?

• Australia
• Bangladesh
• England
• India
• New Zealand
• Pakistan
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka

India qualified on the basis of their hosting rights, while Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka qualified as the top five teams in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25.

Bangladesh and Pakistan entered the tournament by finishing first and second in the World Cup qualifiers.

When and where is the India vs Pakistan match in the Women’s World Cup?

The archrivals will face-off on Sunday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

India have beaten Pakistan in all ODI matches played between the two nations since 2005, with their last win coming at the ICC World Cup 2022 in South Africa.

What’s the format and schedule of the Women’s World Cup?

The tournament’s main round will be played in the round-robin format between September 30 and October 26.

The top four teams at the end of the group stage will qualify for the semifinals on 29 and 30 October.

The final will be played on November 2.

The updated match schedule for #CWC25 is out now 🏆

All the action starts on 30 September! 🗓️

✍️: https://t.co/EArFubvvlg pic.twitter.com/yqYfPbHzbM

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) August 22, 2025

Which teams are favourites to win the Women’s World Cup?

• Australia: The Southern Stars’ supremacy in women’s cricket is undeniable, with their record seven titles in the ODI World Cup and six in the T20 World Cup proof of their status as the world’s best team. Alyssa Healy’s team is packed with the world’s top batters, bowlers and all-rounders and will be the favourite to defend the title they won in South Africa.
• India: The hosts came very close to lifting their first World Cup trophy in 2017, when they lost the final to England, and will look to go one better on home turf. India enjoy the services of arguably the world’s best batter in Smriti Mandhana, as well as some in-form bowlers and all-rounders. They have won 10 of their last 14 ODIs, including three against higher-ranked opponents.

Who are the players to watch at the Women’s World Cup?

• Smriti Mandhana (India)
• Deepti Sharma (India)
• Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)
• Sophie Ecclestone (England)
• Megan Schutt (Australia)
• Ellyse Perry (Australia)
• Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)
• Amelia Kerr (New Zealand)
• Sidra Amin (Pakistan)
• Nahida Akter (Bangladesh)

Which are the five best group-stage matches of the World Cup?

• India vs Pakistan on October 5 at 09:30 GMT
• India vs Australia on October 12 at 09:30 GMT
• India vs England on October 19 at 09:30 GMT
• Australia vs England on October 22 at 09:30 GMT
• Australia vs South Africa on October 25 at 09:30 GMT

Who are the past champions of the Women’s World Cup?

• 1973: England
• 1978: Australia
• 1982: Australia
• 1988: Australia
• 1993: England
• 1997: Australia
• 2000: New Zealand
• 2005: Australia
• 2009: England
• 2013: Australia
• 2017: England
• 2022: Australia

What’s the prize money for the Women’s World Cup?

• Total prize money for the tournament: $13.88m
• Champions: $4.48m
• Runners-up: $2.24m
• Losing semifinalists: $1.12m each
• Fifth and sixth place finishers: $700,000 each
• Seventh and eighth place finishers: $280,000 each.

How can I buy tickets for the Women’s World Cup?

Tickets for all group-stage games are available on the ICC’s ticketing website, and prices start at $1.

Indian leader controversially refers to the politically-charged win as an extension of ‘Operation Sindoor’.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has contentiously invoked the conflict with Pakistan in May, which brought the nuclear-armed neighbours to the cusp of a fifth all-out war, to celebrate India’s Asia Cup final cricket win against their regional arch foes.

“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” Modi posted on X on Monday.

Modi was referring to the four-day conflict between the two nations, with its focus on Indian-administered Kashmir, in May, following an attack that killed 22 tourists that India blamed on Pakistan, an accusation that Islamabad vehemently denies.

During the conflict, Modi announced “Operation Sindoor” as a response to the attack, which heightened tensions and led to retaliation from Pakistan. The short conflict killed more than 70 people in missile and drone attacks, with both sides claiming victory.

In June, an Indian naval officer conceded that the country lost several fighter jets to Pakistani fire during their conflict in May and said the losses were a result of “constraints” placed on Indian forces by the government in New Delhi.

India and Pakistan traded other slights after Indian cricket players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in the final of the Asia Cup, as tensions between the two countries remain heavily strained.

After India beat Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday by five wickets, the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chief of Pakistan’s Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan’s interior minister.

Simon Doull, a former New Zealand cricketer and broadcaster, announced, citing the ACC, that the Indian team would not be collecting their awards due to the tensions.

During the course of the tournament, the Indian team refused to shake hands with the Pakistan team in any of the three matches the two sides played.

Naqvi reportedly refused to step down from the presentation ceremony to hand out the award altogether.

Indian players Tilak Varma, who won the player-of-the-match award, Abhishek Sharma, who won the player-of-the-tournament award, and Kuldeep Yadav, who won the Most Valuable Player award, turned up to accept their individual awards but did not acknowledge Naqvi.

The Pakistani official was also the only person on stage who did not applaud the Indian trio.

In a post-match conference, Yadav said he had “never seen” a winning team denied their trophy.

But Pakistan’s captain, Salman Agha, accused India’s behaviour during the tournament of being “bad for cricket”.

“What they did today, a good team doesn’t do that. Good teams do what we have done. We waited for our medals and took them,” Agha said.

Indian cricket board (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia announced that the board will lodge a protest against Naqvi in the next meeting of the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) in November.

Indian captain Yadav was accused of making a political statement after the first match, while Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan and pacer Haris Rauf made political gestures in the second.

Varma hits 69 not out as India chase 146 after coming into bat at 10-2 in a nervy end to the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai.

Tilak Varma held his nerve with an unbeaten innings of 69 runs as he steered India home in a five-wicket win over Pakistan in a gripping and controversial final of the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai.

Coming into bat with India two wickets down for 10 runs in the third over, Varma weathered the storm while wickets fell at the other end as India chased 147 in the politically charged tournament decider on Sunday, where the champions refused to accept the winner’s trophy from the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

It was the third India vs Pakistan match of the tournament and once again, the fixture was marred by controversy as the post-match presentation ceremony was delayed by more than an hour due to unexplained reasons as players and tournament organisers waited on the ground.

Once the ceremony got under way, it was revealed by presenter Simon Doull that the Indian cricket team had refused to attend it and would not collect their winner’s medals and the Asia Cup trophy, ostensibly from Naqvi, who is also chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan’s Minister for Interior.

“Indian team refuses to accept Asia Cup winners’ trophy from Pakistan minister and ACC head Mohsin Naqvi,” the Press Trust of India reported after the ceremony concluded.

However, India’s player of the final Varma, top batter Abhishek Sharma and bowler Kuldeep Yadav did walk up to the presentation area to collect their cheques, albeit not from Naqvi.

Minutes later, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates cheered with a mock trophy as they celebrated their ninth Asia Cup title.

India’s win was built around their 22-year-old batter Varma’s measured innings , which came off 53 balls and included four sixes and three fours.

The run chase was dented in the second over when their star batter and the tournament’s leading run-scorer Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for five runs by Pakistan’s medium-pace bowler Faheem Ashraf on the first ball of India’s second over. He fell to a mistimed attempt at a six and was caught at mid-on.

Suryakumar Yadav followed soon after, when Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed him for one run as the Indian captain hit his fifth ball straight to mid-off, where his Pakistani counterpart Salman Agha took a diving catch.

It was then up to Varma and opener Gill to steady the ship for India, but Gill departed nine balls later to Ashraf. Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson chipped in with an innings of 24 off 21 before falling to leg-spin bowler Abrar Ahmed.

New batter Shivam Dube, who had earlier taken on the responsibility of opening the bowling for India in the absence of Hardik Pandya, played a supporting role to Varma’s innings.

While Pakistan bowled well, they were not fully supported by the fielders as two catches were dropped and a crucial run-out chance was missed by wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris, who was slow to remove the bails as Varma dived in.

Varma made Pakistan pay as he and Dube took India on the verge of victory, only for Dube to fall with six balls and nine runs left.

Rinku Singh, who replaced Pandya in the final, faced one ball and hit the winning runs off it to spark celebrations in the Indian camp.

Earlier, Pakistan began their innings brightly as Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman gave them an opening stand of 84, before Farhan was dismissed for 57 off 38 in the 10th over.

Zaman (46 off 35) then formed a brief partnership with Saim Ayub, who scored 14 runs, but once they were dismissed, none of the Pakistan batters could post more than nine runs .

The team in green crashed from 113-2 to 146 all out in 38 balls as they finished their innings in 19.1 overs.

Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for India as he picked four wickets for 30 runs in his four overs. Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy took a wicket apiece.

Yadav ended the tournament as its leading wicket – taker with 17, while Sharma was the top batter with 314 runs.

Follow our live build-up, with toss and team news coverage, before our full text commentary stream of the final.

Cricket players, fans, experts and officials must let the sport return to a “moment of sanity” when India and Pakistan meet in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, says former player and administrator Ramiz Raja.

Millions of fans – in both South Asian countries and across the world – will watch and follow the game with bated breath as the heated rivalry unfolds at Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the third time in 15 days.

“The temperature must be lowered and all eyes should be on the game of cricket,” Raja told Al Jazeera on the eve of the final.

“It is not only the responsibility of the cricket boards and players but also the fans, stakeholders, and social media commentators to demonstrate astuteness because the emotions are still raw. Everyone needs a moment of sanity.”

The fallout of mixing politics with cricket

The build-up to the final has been dominated by actions that have little to do with the sport itself – be it a no-handshake row, politically loaded statements, controversial gesturing or complaints lodged with the game’s governing body, which responded by giving both sides a slap on the wrist.

The match will be played in the aftermath of disciplinary hearings, which were carried out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged complaints over the rival players’ statements and gestures.

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav was the first to appear for a hearing at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Thursday. The PCB took objection to his mention of “Operation Sindoor” – the military operation carried out by India’s armed forces in Pakistan in May – during his post-match comments following India’s seven-wicket win on September 14.

Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf were also summoned to the ICC headquarters on Friday for their gestures during the second meeting between the two sides on September 21, when India won the Super Fours fixture by six wickets.

Farhan mimicked a gunshot to celebrate his maiden half-century against India, and Rauf was seen responding to the crowd’s heckling by gesturing the downing of aircraft and holding up his fingers to represent the number six, an alleged reference to Pakistan’s claims of downing six Indian air force planes during the four-day conflict.

ICC match referee Richie Richardson conducted the hearings.

Al Jazeera understands that Yadav and Rauf were handed a fine of 30 percent of their respective match fee, while Farhan was let off with a warning by Richardson.

The ICC has not officially announced the sanctions. Al Jazeera reached out to the ICC for a comment on the hearings, but has not received a response.

With the off-field theatrics dealt with, Raja believes the attention must return to the on-field action.

“The ICC’s decision to fine players on both sides must have reduced the pressure on them [players] and helped redefine the rules of engagement [for the final],” he explained.

Raja, who has also been at the helm of the PCB in the past, said the circumstances turned grave in the aftermath of Yadav’s comments and the Pakistani players’ gestures, and it was a turmoil that both parties could have avoided.

The match on Sunday will mark the first India vs Pakistan final in the Asia Cup – a fateful meeting that organisers, broadcasters and sponsors may have dreamt of in the 31 years since the tournament’s inception but were never able to pull off in its 15 iterations.

Bilateral cricket series and tours remain suspended between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, and any meeting at an ICC event or regional competition is a highly anticipated affair.

‘Attention must return to cricket’

Raja, also a former Pakistan captain, has called on the players to refrain from letting the political tensions boil over onto the cricket field.

“It [mixing politics with sport] takes away the innocence of cricketers, as they are not geared to engage in political rhetoric,” he said.

Raja played 38 international matches against India in a career spanning from 1984 to 1997.

“It is an unfamiliar territory for them [players]. They do not know how much and what needs to be said.”

Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha cut a picture of calm before the proverbial storm on Saturday, when he took questions from the media before the final.

He chose not to comment on the provocative questions about the Indian team and media, while reiterating his stance on playing “good cricket” in the final.

Meanwhile, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel, who spoke to the media late on Friday, also anticipated a tough fight between bat and ball.

“Let’s look forward to the battle on Sunday.”

Raja agreed and said the conversation should move on.

“The debate should be whether Pakistan will lift their game [in the final] or if it will be a third-time malfunction [against India].”

India have remained unbeaten on their way to the final, while Pakistan’s only defeats in the tournament have come against India.

Pakistan have now lost seven international matches to India, whom they last beat in September 2022.

Despite the one-sided results in recent years, India vs Pakistan remains the hottest-selling item in international cricket, and Raja believes politics has a lot to do with it.

“The entire world waits for this contest not because of the skill levels of the players or the quality of contest, but due to the political needle between these two countries,” he said.

On Sunday, though, Raja hopes the attention will return to the sport when India and Pakistan meet to write yet another historic chapter in their bitter rivalry.

Who: India vs Pakistan
What: T20 Asia Cup 2025 final
When: Sunday, September 28 at 14:30 GMT
Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

India and Pakistan will face off in a high-stakes Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday, with political and on-field friction overshadowing their first title clash in the regional tournament.

Pakistan secured their place in the decider after edging past Bangladesh by 11 runs on Thursday, setting the stage for a blockbuster meeting with their neighbours and archrivals India.

Defending champions India were the first team to book a place in the final following their win over Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Suryakumar Yadav’s team finished their Super Fours campaign in a thrilling Super Over win over Sri Lanka on Friday.

Here’s what you need to know about the Asia Cup 2025 final:

What has caused the recent tension between India and Pakistan?

The showdown comes months after an intense four-day conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have not played a bilateral series in more than a decade.

What happened in the last India vs Pakistan match?

Their most recent meetings in the group stage and Super Four round of this Asia Cup saw India win both matches, but their skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with counterpart Salman Agha.

Players from both sides also skipped post-match handshakes after both fixtures.

What is India’s form at the Asia Cup?

They have won all six of their matches in this 17th edition of the Asia Cup, played in the T20 format, and are chasing a record-extending ninth title.

Opener Abhishek Sharma has been in scintillating form with successive half-centuries, while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav leads the bowling charts with 12 wickets.

But their fielding has been suspect, with 12 dropped catches in the tournament so far.

Spinner Varun Chakravarthy blamed the “ring of fire” created by the stadium’s 350 floodlights for the butter-fingered display.

“We have to pick up our fielding, and definitely, the fielding coach has a lot to say,” Chakravarthy said.

What are Pakistan’s chances of beating India in the final?

Pakistan, two-time Asia Cup champions, will rely on their pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rauf to provide early breakthroughs, while spinners Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz will aim to contain India’s powerful batting lineup.

Their batting, however, remains a concern after collapsing to 49-5 against Bangladesh before recovering to post 135-8, which proved to be a winning total.

Suryakumar downplayed the on-field rivalry after hammering Pakistan for the second time in the tournament, but coach Mike Hesson believes his team can throw up a challenge to the number one-ranked T20 side.

How many times have India and Pakistan won the Asia Cup?

Pakistan have lifted the trophy on two occasions – in 2000 and 2012 – and qualified for the final five times.

India are seven-time Asia Cup champions, with 11 appearances in the final.

When was the last time Pakistan beat India?

Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win over India came in the 2022 edition of the Asia Cup in the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 71 runs in the Super Four clash, but it was Mohammad Nawaz’s 20-ball 41 that saw Pakistan home.

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in T20Is

Since the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the countries have met in 15 T20Is. India have won 12 times, including the first match in 2007, which was tied and then decided in a Super Over.

Two of Pakistan’s three wins came in Dubai.

Players to watch: India

Abhishek Sharma: The fact that the young top-order batter has managed to carve a spot in a highly competitive T20 Indian batting lineup marks Sharma as one to watch in the Asia Cup. The 24-year-old boasts the highest career strike rate of 198 among all batters in T20s, and backs it up with two centuries and five half-centuries in the format – three of those coming in his last three innings, including the Super Fours win against Pakistan.

Players to watch: Pakistan

Shaheen Shah Afridi: The former Pakistan captain has returned to form for his country and was the star turn in the crucial victory against Bangladesh. Although going wicketless in the two games against India at the tournament, the 25-year-old left-arm quick has taken eight wickets in the other three games, including his Player of the Match performance against the Tigers following figures of 3-17.

Form guide: India

India are unbeaten in the Asia Cup and have not lost a T20 series since winning the World Cup in June 2024.

Last five results (most recent first): W-W-W-W-W

Form guide: Pakistan

Pakistan’s form in T20s has been mixed for some time but at this edition of the Asia Cup, their only defeats have come against India, with four wins recorded overall at the tournament.

Last five results (most recent first): W-W-L-W-L

Team news: India

The holders are expected to go back to the same team that beat Pakistan in both the group and Super Fours stages.

Predicted India line-up:

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav.

Team news: Pakistan

Pakistan are expected to field the same XI that beat Sri Lanka.

Pakistan predicted line-up:

Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (captain), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

How can I follow and stream the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final?

Al Jazeera Sport will have live build-up ahead of our comprehensive photo and text commentary stream of the final from 09:30 GMT.

The match will be shown live on terrestrial and satellite channels, as well as live-streaming platforms across the world.

How can I buy tickets for the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final?

While tickets for the general stands are sold out, some are still available in the hospitality sections of the stadium, starting at $991 and can be purchased at the tournament’s official ticketing website.

Bangladesh crumble as Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf take three wickets each in Super Fours match in Dubai.

Pakistan have set up a blockbuster Asia Cup 2025 final against archrivals India after defeating Bangladesh by 11 runs in a thrilling Super Fours match in Dubai.

Chasing 136 to win in a winners-take-all match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, Bangladesh’s batting collapsed dramatically in front of Pakistan’s pace bowling attack, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Once Pakistan took the field after posting a meagre total of 135-8 in 20 overs, Afridi put on an authoritative display of fast bowling by picking up two wickets in his first two overs and ended with match figures of 3-17 in four overs.

Fellow pacer Haris Rauf contributed with three wickets of his own, two of which helped wrap up Bangladesh’s innings, while part-time, left-armed slow bowler Saim Ayub bowled a tidy spell of 2-16 from four overs.

Bangladesh opener Saif Hasan (18) formed brief partnerships with Mahedi Hasan (11) and Nurul Hasan (16), but none of the batting stands lasted long enough to see the team through.

Some late resistance by lower middle order batter Shamim Hossain (30) briefly raised the hopes of Bangladeshi fans, but once Shamim became Afridi’s third victim in the 17th over, Pakistan became clear favourites to wrap up the win.

Rishad Hossain, who had an excellent outing with the ball and in the field, hit two fours and a six in his innings of 16 but kept losing batting partners as Bangladesh’s innings came to a close on 124-9 in 20 overs.

Earlier, when Pakistan were sent in to bat by Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Jaker Ali, the decision paid off almost instantly as the Pakistani openers struggled to score runs.

Taskin Ahmed’s disciplined opening spell led to the dismissal of Sahibzada Farhan on the fourth ball of Pakistan’s innings while one-down batter Ayub fell in the next over to Mahedi.

Fakhar Zaman (13) and captain Salman Agha (19) formed a brief and sluggish partnership but could not hit a single six.

Rishad, who took two catches before coming on to bowl, dismissed Zaman in the seventh over and then sent back Hussain Talat in the ninth. Agha fell to Mustafizur Rahman between the two Rishad wickets as Pakistan were reduced to 49-5.

A lower order flourish from Mohammad Haris (31 off 17), Muhammad Nawaz (25 off 15) and Afridi (19 off 13) took Pakistan to 135-8 on a tricky Dubai pitch.

Afridi was named player of the match for his all-round heroics.

Pakistan will be especially delighted to see their premier pace bowler return to wicket-taking form before the final against bitter rivals India on Sunday.

The South Asian neighbours have already met twice in the tournament, and India recorded thumping wins on both occasions.

Sunday’s match, also to be played in Dubai, will be the first India-Pakistan clash in the final of the Asia Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1984.

Tensions have run high, and political standoffs have spilled onto the cricket field in both of the previous two meetings between the teams this month.

Fans can expect another politically charged match, especially with the trophy on the line.

Pakistan will hope it will be a case of third time lucky while India will look to complete a 3-0 drubbing in the tournament.

Pakistan and Bangladesh headed into the penultimate match of the Super Four stage knowing the winner would advance to the final and Bangladesh had one foot in Sunday’s trophy match when they restricted Pakistan to 135-8.

Taskin Ahmed (3-28) and Mahedi Hasan (2-28) struck early to reduce Pakistan to 5-2 inside 10 balls and wickets continued to fall as the batting side teetered on 49-5 in the 11th over.

Wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris top-scored with 31 (23) to drag Pakistan into three figures, enjoying partnerships with Shaheen Shah Afridi (19) and Mohammad Nawaz (25), but Mahedi and Taskin dismissed the trio to prevent any late fireworks.

Bangladesh had their own struggles with the bat, losing three wicket in the powerplay and later slumping to 44-4.

Shamim Hossain’s 30 (25) briefly revived their hopes of a successful chase but his dismissal by Shaheen (3-17) in the 17th over was quickly followed by two wickets in three balls from Haris Rauf and despite some late boundaries from Rishad Hossain, Bangladesh fell short.

Bangladesh, who are yet to win the men’s Asia Cup, join Sri Lanka in being eliminated in the Super Fours, with the latter facing unbeaten India in the final group match on Friday.

Pakistan and Vietnam are both growing economies, and cooperation between the two countries is essential. Both countries are committed to enhancing trade relations and struggling to reach an Agreement of Preferential Trade (PTA).

Pakistan and Vietnam established diplomatic relations on 8 November 1972. The relations are largely based on mutual trade and international political cooperation between the two countries. However, relations greatly warmed up in the 2000s, and Pakistan reopened its embassy in Hanoi in October 2000. Vietnam also reopened its embassy in Islamabad and trade office in Karachi in December and November 2005, respectively. Relations between the two countries have continued to remain friendly, with Vietnam expressing an interest in increased economic and military cooperation with Pakistan. The heads of both nations have in recent times paid official visits to each other, with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf visiting Vietnam in May 2001 and Vietnamese President Trần Đức Lương also paying an official visit to Pakistan in March 2004. Throughout the following decade, several visits were made by various Vietnamese and Pakistani ministries to each other. A major part of Pakistan’s pursuit to enhance its relationship with Vietnam is outlined in Pakistan’s “Vision East Asia” strategy. Vietnam is an active member of ASEAN, and Pakistan always tends to establish close ties with ASEAN.

Recently Vietnam’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), revealed his country’s strong will and ensured all possible support. Pakistan is also in dire need of expanding its trade with Vietnam, and Vietnam is one of the rapidly growing economies of the region and can assist Pakistan in reviving its economy.

Although bilateral trade reached $850 million in 2024 and was expected to cross $1 billion in 2025. But the real potential is much more than this, and the strong will from both sides will definitely bring fruits in the coming years. Both countries have set a target of 5 billion US dollars.

Vietnam is a country hard-hit by the Trump tariff and also needs to explore diversified trading partners. In fact, Trump’s tariffs have destabilized the global trading patterns, partners, routes, etc. It might have effect on the US itself, but, to many other countries of the world has adverse impact. Definitely, a few countries might be beneficiaries too. Like Pakistan, it was facing tough challenges from many other countries while exporting textile products to the US, but after Trump tariffs were imposed on some of Pakistan’s competitors, Pakistan has leverage over them in exporting textile products to the US.

Pakistan’s strengths in textiles, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals may be beneficial for Vietnam. Currently, Pakistan’s exports are corn, raw cotton, yarn, leather, pharmaceutical products, and textiles. But a huge workforce, cheaper labor, and rich natural resources may attract Vietnam. Pakistan is offering enabling environments and attractive packages for foreign investors. The establishment of SIFC to facilitate foreign investors and ease of doing business in Pakistan may become fruitful initiatives of Pakistan.

At the same time, rapid industrialization and export expertise of Vietnam are significant for Pakistan. Currently, Vietnam exports to Pakistan electrical and electronic equipment, coffee, tea, spices, and man-made filaments. But definitely it is to broaden in the near future.

Vietnam is interested in attracting Pakistani investment in its manufacturing and technology sectors, while Pakistan seeks to encourage Vietnamese investment. PTA is essential to achieve higher goals for both countries.

Trust, strong political will, and the highest-level support from both governments will enable the set target of USD 5 billion to be achieved soon conveniently. The Pakistani business community is ready and already in touch with their counterparts in Vietnam.

The aim is to improve the living standard of common people in both countries, eradicate poverty, and promote peace, stability, and prosperity mutually. Both countries can contribute to the regional and global economy. Both are peace-loving nations and cooperate in regional peace, stability, and security. It is to emphasize that the close ties are not against any third country, and there should be no concern from any other country in the region.

No official word yet on the killing of 24 people, including 14 fighters, in tribal area as opposition blames the military for explosions.

At least 24 people, including children, have been killed in explosions in a remote area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan, triggering calls for an investigation into the incident.

A local police official said bomb-making material allegedly stored at a compound run by Pakistan Taliban, known by the acronym TTP, exploded in the Tirah Valley region early on Monday, killing fighters and civilians.

But many local opposition figures and other authorities accused the Pakistani military of carrying out night-time air raids as part of a “counterterror operation” to take out fighters in mountainous areas bordering Afghanistan.

An official statement has yet to be released by the Pakistani government or armed forces.

Local police officer Zafar Khan was quoted as saying by The Associated Press news agency that at least 10 civilians, including women and children, were killed, along with at least 14 fighters, two of whom were TTP commanders.

Security forces are carrying out operations against the Pakistan Taliban in Khyber, Bajaur and other parts of the northwest. The outlawed group has been waging an armed rebellion against Pakistan’s government since its emergence in 2007. It is different from the Taliban that has been in power in Afghanistan, though the organisations have common ideological roots.

‘An attack on unarmed civilians’

Iqbal Afridi – an opposition member of the National Assembly whose constituency covers Tirah, which sits near the border with Afghanistan – told the AFP news agency that warplanes of Pakistani forces conducted air strikes that caused the explosions.

Speaking in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly on Monday afternoon, lawmaker Sohail Khan Afridi also blamed the military for the attack.

“This assault by the security forces is nothing less than an attack on unarmed civilians,” he said.

Both politicians are members of the party led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, which governs the province.

Babar Saleem Swati, the provincial assembly speaker, wrote in a post on X that civilians were killed and homes were destroyed “due to bombardment by jet aircraft” and said this will have negative consequences for the future of the country.

“When the blood of our own people is made so cheap and bombs are dropped on them, it is a fire that can engulf everyone,” Swati said, calling on federal and provincial governments to conduct a transparent investigation and compensate affected families.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent monitor, said it was “deeply shocked” to learn that children and civilians were killed in the attack.

“We demand that the authorities carry out an immediate and impartial inquiry into the incident and hold to account those responsible. The state is constitutionally bound to protect all civilians’ right to life, which it has repeatedly failed to secure,” it said in a statement.

Who: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
What: T20 Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours
When: Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30pm (14:30 GMT)
Where: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have live build-up from 11:00 GMT ahead of our comprehensive text commentary stream of the match.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka meet in their Super Fours match at the T20 Asia Cup 2025 knowing that a loss in Abu Dhabi could jeopardise their place in the tournament.

Both former champions have lost their opening games in the second phase of the regional competition, and the match on Tuesday will offer them a chance to revive their campaign for the final.

The top two teams from the round-robin style Super Fours will qualify for the final in Dubai on Sunday.

Bangladesh and India, the other Super Fours teams, each have two points on the board after their respective wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Six-time winners Sri Lanka were edged by the Tigers by four wickets in a closely fought match on Saturday, while Pakistan were handed a second defeat in eight days at the hands of India on Sunday.

Charith Asalanka’s team were unbeaten in Group B and will start as favourites against Pakistan, whom they have beaten in their last five T20 international (T20I) meetings.

For two-time champions Pakistan, the match will offer a chance to restore some pride after their two heavy losses against archrivals India.

Players to watch: Pakistan

• Fakhar Zaman: The veteran batter has made a return to the team after a long, injury-forced layoff. And while he hasn’t posted big scores on a consistent basis, Zaman is known to demoralise opposition bowlers once he gets in the flow. The longer the opener stays at the crease, the better Pakistan’s chances of posting a big target or chasing one down.
• Abrar Ahmed: The bespectacled leg-spinner has been Pakistan’s most economical bowler in the tournament despite picking up only four wickets in his four Asia Cup games so far. His tight spells often force opposition batters to attack the other bowlers and lose wickets at the other end, making Abrar a key figure in Pakistan’s lineup.

Players to watch: Sri Lanka

• Pathum Nissanka: The Sri Lankan opener is enjoying an exceptional run of form and has scored a minimum of 30 runs in 16 of his last 25 innings in T20Is at a strike rate of 124. At the Asia Cup 2025, Nissanka is second on the run-scoring charts with 146 runs in four matches, 27 runs behind India’s exceptional batter Abhishek Sharma.
• Wanindu Hasaranga: Hasaranga’s place in the Sri Lankan side has been blighted by frequent injuries, but the leg-spin bowling all-rounder remains a key member of the team. He has taken five wickets in five Asia Cup 2025 matches at an economy rate of under six. Hasaranga enjoys playing against Pakistan and has taken 14 wickets and scored 61 runs in his five matches against the 2012 Asian champions.

Super Fours points table and qualification scenario

India sit on top of the Super Fours table with two points and a net run rate (NRR) of 0.689, followed by Bangladesh, who have the same number of points but an NRR of 0.121.

The winner of Tuesday’s match could rank anywhere from first to third, based on their NRR, and the losing team, while still not out, must win their last match by a big margin and hope the other results go their way.

Points Table 📊

The Super 4️⃣s are off to a thrilling start, with 🇮🇳 & 🇧🇩 recording important wins in their respective rivalry clashes and occupy top spots.#DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/eRw9yRHzco

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 22, 2025

Head-to-head: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka in T20Is

While Pakistan lead Sri Lanka in their overall T20I results, the Lions have been the dominant team in the format in the past six years.

Pakistan have beaten Sri Lanka 13 out of 23 times, but their last T20I win against the Lions came in 2019.

Form guide: Pakistan

Pakistan have blown hot and cold in the T20 Asia Cup, having won against lower-ranked teams Oman and the UAE while losing both their matches against defending champions India.

As always, it is difficult to predict which Pakistan team – hot or cold – will turn up on match day.

Last five results (most recent first): L W L W W

Form guide: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka beat all three of their Group B opponents prior to the Super Fours loss against Bangladesh, but have had a mixed bag of results in T20Is in 2025. They beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in their bilateral series but lost 2-1 to Bangladesh a few weeks earlier.

Last five results (most recent first): L W W W W

Team news: Pakistan

Pakistan have, predictably, made a few changes to their playing XIs over the course of the tournament, and not all of them have paid off.

Belligerent batter Hasan Nawaz’s exclusion from the team that faced India on Sunday was met with criticism, especially as the player replacing him – Hussain Talat – did not improve on Nawaz’s performances.

Salman Agha’s team have also switched between playing two spinners and pace bowlers.

Nawaz and spinner Sufiyan Muqeem could return against Sri Lanka.

Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (captain), Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Hasan Nawaz/Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi/Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem

Team news: Sri Lanka

Lower-order batter Kamil Mishara’s spot in the playing XI will be under scrutiny, given his low strike rate and scores in the last three matches. Janith Liyanage could replace Mishara on Tuesday.

Predicted XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wicketkeeper), Kamil Mishara/Janith Liyanage, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (captain), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara

Abhishek’s innings helps India chase 172 with seven balls to spare in their Super Fours cricket match against Pakistan in Dubai.

A 105-run opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill helped defending champions India beat Pakistan by six wickets in their Asia Cup Super Four match, a second victory over their archrivals in the Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Put in to bat first in the match on Sunday, Pakistan set India a target of 172, which they reached with seven balls remaining.

There was no handshake between the teams’ players yet again, with the match played amid lingering tensions between the two nations in the wake of a military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May.

There was clear tension between both sets of players it threatened to bubble over in India’s innings as Pakistan’s fast bowler Haris Rauf appeared to exchage heated words with Sharma and Gill.

Put in to bat first, Pakistan had a 72-run partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub for the second wicket that laid the foundation for its innings after Fakhar Zaman (15) fell early.

Farhan, who was dropped in the first over by Sharma, completed his half-century in 34 balls, steering Pakistan to 91-1 after 10 overs.

But Pakistan could not hit a single boundary in the next six overs as Ayub (21), Hussain Talat (10) and Farhan (58 off 45) got out in quick succession.

Unbeaten knocks from captain Salman Ali Agha (17 off 13) and Faheem Ashraf (20 off 8) added 42 runs in the last three overs to help Pakistan reach a competitive 171-5.

Sharma announced his intentions by hitting Shaheen Shah Afridi for a six on the first ball, and hit four boundaries and four sixes to complete his half-century in 24 balls.

India seemed to be cruising to a quick victory until Gill (47 off 28) was bowled by Faheem Ashraf in the 10th over.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav fell to Haris Rauf (2-26) for a duck in the very next over, and Sharma (74 off 39) was dismissed by Abrar Ahmed soon after, temporarily throttling India’s chase.

But India, who beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the group stage, still got over the line, with Tilak Varma (30 off 19) hitting Afridi for a six and a four in the final two balls of the innings.

Pakistan will face Sri Lanka on Tuesday, with both sides looking for their first win in the Super Four, a day before India play Bangladesh, who beat Sri Lanka on Saturday.