Asia Cup 2025: 10 Years After T20I Debut, India Star Might Play His First Match Against Pakistan

Sanju Samson first donned the India T20I jersey in July 2015 against Zimbabwe. Despite his early start, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter didn’t receive consistent chances in the initial years.

In all these years, Sanju Samson has never played against Pakistan — a milestone he might finally achieve this year.

Source : PTI

The countdown to the Asia Cup 2025 is underway, with the tournament set to begin on September 9. One of the most anticipated clashes will be between India and Pakistan, scheduled for August 14 at the Dubai International Stadium.

While the official squads for both sides are yet to be revealed, it is widely expected that Sanju Samson will feature in India’s lineup.

Interestingly, Samson made his T20 International debut for India nearly a decade ago.

Samson likely to face Pak for first time in career

Sanju Samson first donned the India T20I jersey in July 2015 against Zimbabwe. Despite his early start, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter didn’t receive consistent chances in the initial years.

Over the past two to three seasons, however, Samson has been more regularly included in the T20 setup, often taking on the role of an opener. Yet, in all these years, he has never played against Pakistan — a milestone he might finally achieve this year.

Samson might open with Abhishek Sharma 

Reports suggest that Samson is likely to open alongside Abhishek Sharma during the Asia Cup. If confirmed, the match against Pakistan will mark his first-ever outing against the arch-rivals in his 10-year T20I journey.

In his career so far, Sanju Samson has scored 861 runs in 42 T20Is, including 3 centuries and 2 fifties, at a strike rate of 152.38 and an average of 25.32. The Asia Cup 2025 could prove to be a defining stage for him, as he will shoulder the twin responsibilities of opening the innings and keeping wickets under high-pressure conditions.

India's record in Asia Cup

India has been one of the most dominant teams in Asia Cup history, consistently performing across both ODI and T20I formats.

Since the tournament’s inception in 1984, India has won the title in both formats — in 1984, 1988, 1990–91, 1995, 2010, 2016 (T20I format), and 2018 — making it the most successful side in the competition.

Over the years, Indian cricket legends and current stars have produced memorable performances against arch-rivals Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other Asian teams.