NEW DELHI:

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

after edging past Bangladesh by 11 runs on Thursday, setting the stage for a blockbuster meeting with defending champions India.

The showdown comes months after deadly fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have not played a bilateral series in over a decade.

Their most recent meetings in the group stage and Super Four round of this Asia Cup saw India skipper .

Players from both sides also skipped post-match handshakes after the first and second encounters.

India comfortably won both the games, stretching their unbeaten run against Pakistan to seven matches dating back to 2022 -- three one-

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