DUBAI: The buzz around the historic Asia Cup final has reached fever pitch, as tickets for Sunday’s Pakistan–India showdown at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium have officially sold out.
Organisers confirmed to Geo News that the 28,000-capacity venue is now “house full,” with fans snapping up every seat in anticipation of the much-awaited clash.
Earlier encounters between the arch-rivals during the tournament had already drawn huge crowds — 20,000 spectators for the group match on 14 September and 17,000 for the Super Four clash on 21 September.
However, the unprecedented demand for the final has outshone all previous contests, underscoring the unmatched hype and excitement surrounding the first-ever Asia Cup title decider between Pakistan and India.
The Green Shirts set up a final against India after edging past Bangladesh by 11 runs in a Super Fours encounter on September 25. The final will be the first time the arch-rivals will face each other in the tournament's history.
The 2016 champions have beaten every opposition on their path before swaggering into the final of the eight-team tournament.
Pakistan were defeated twice, first in the group stage and then in Super Fours, by an India team containing the world's top-ranked batter and bowler in the T20 format in opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy.
The two sides will lock horns in the ultimate game as tensions remain heightened due to Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav's controversial actions during their group match on September 14.
Pundits called his decision to skip a customary handshake at the toss and political statements in the post-match interview "unprecedented" and "detrimental to the spirit of the game."
Following a Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) complaint, the International Cricket Council (ICC) formally reprimanded Yadav over his political remarks, advising him to refrain from such actions in the future.
Despite the charged environment, Pakistan captain Salman Agha expressed his excitement for the final against India. "The amount of pressure on both teams will be the same. We will try to give our best and win the final," he said.