This is the first-ever India vs Pakistan final across 17 editions of the Men's Asia Cup since the tournament's inception in 1984.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led India will be playing an ODI World Cup final for the third time, having finished runners-up in 2005 and 2017 to Australia and England, respectively. This will be South Africa's maiden appearance in the final.
When the Indian team entered the ICC Cricket Academy Arena for their evening net session ahead of the Asia Cup, Samson was the first to start his solo keeping drills with fielding coach T Dilip, even as others were just about lumbering up.
Daryl Mitchell's runs had steered the hosts to their victories in Tauranga and Hamilton and when he departed for 44 to leave his team still 27 runs from their target on 196-8, the English scented an unlikely victory.
Shubman Gill struck his 10th Test century, while Ravindra Jadeja picked up three wickets as India dominated Day 2 of the second Test against West Indies, in Delhi, on Saturday.
'I can't come in and say, "I only can do the hero role." I need to be a villain. I need to be a joker. I need to play around".'
England edged India by just four runs in a nerve-wracking finish to storm into the Women's World Cup semi-finals on Sunday night in Indore.
Prem Panicker and Faisal Shariff discuss the young, largely experimental team picked for the five Test tour of England, and its prospects on the latest episode of the Sports And Pastime podcast.
Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal's 212-run stand against New Zealand is India's highest in Women's World Cup history.
With Samson pushed to No. 5 in the batting line-up, fans are now call for his promotion up the order in the dead rubber final Group A match against Oman on September 19.
South Africa batter Tristan Stubbs scored an unbeaten 68 to steer his side to 185-4 at stumps on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan on Tuesday, but two late wickets saw the hosts keep a firm grip on the contest.
Earlier, after incessant rain interrupted the exciting contest, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to field against the hosts India.
Ahead of India game, Alyssa Healy derives confidence from Australia's incredible depth
Pant took a bit to settle into his rhythm behind the stumps, and once he came to terms with the surface and bowlers the wicketkeeper was quite tidy.
Brits ton, Mlaba's four-for power South Africa to commanding win over New Zealand
Rohit Sharma hit an unbeaten century, while Virat Kohli returned to form with a fluent fifty as India cruised to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the inconsequential third and final ODI against Australia.
Off-spinner Deepti bowled the 48th over, and De Klerk managed to find two boundaries off her before applying finishing touches to the chase, smashing pacer Amanjot Kaur for two sixes in the 49th over.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in New Delhi on Sunday.
'Am I the reason team will lose? Kuldeep might think, I am bowling so well, even after that I am not playing, then am I the problem in this team?'
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged that the ICC Women's World Cup opener against Sri Lanka wasn't easy despite the hosts earning a facile 59-run victory in the end, under the DLS method.
Creating a powerful new chief of defence forces has split the Pakistan military into four competing factions, points out Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W.
If the men of 1983 gave India a reason to dream, the women of 2025 could give it something rarer -- the courage to live that dream in full daylight, under an open sky that finally belongs to them, points out Prem Panicker.
'If you consider Parag for captaincy, how do you expect Samson to stay?'
Sarfaraz Khan doesn't need India A exposure tours and series to play international cricket as the middle-order India batter can find his way back into the Test side with runs in domestic cricket, said India all-rounder Shardul Thakur on Friday.
Baffled by Chennai Super Kings's tactics in their clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson said he does not understand why Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to bat lower down the order.
Mitch Owen has been rewarded for his fine form in his first five Twenty20 internationals by being named in both of Australia's squads for short-format series against South Africa in the far north of the country next month.
Talented wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel has been named vice-captain, while the pace department will receive a major boost with the inclusion of India fast bowling duo of Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep.
While modern greats like Shubman Gill and Joe Root shy away from batting at No. 3, Nasser Hussain says Cheteshwar Pujara embraced the challenge and carried forward Rahul Dravid's legacy with distinction.
Seldom has an India vs Pakistan clash played with such a volatile backdrop, where cricket seems inseparably knotted with off-field tension, provocative gestures, and fines slapped on both camps.
Despite restricting Bangladesh to a modest 154 for 5, Afghanistan did not bat well enough to go over the line.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Alick Athanaze were recalled in the West Indies' 15-member squad for the two-Test series in India next month.
'I think it's an ongoing process, just continuously putting in hours of work and speaking to people that have played in these conditions, have done well in these conditions.'
Virat Kohli's passion and detachment from personal glory coupled with Rohit Sharma's humility and elegance will not just be etched in record books but will be engraved forever in the hearts of fans, feels former India head coach Greg Chappell.
We need to back ourselves to keep Smriti Mandhana quiet: SA's De Klerk
Rishabh Pant is struggling with the bat in IPL 2025 because of being 'stubborn' by not changing his batting order or approach despite the lack of runs, said former India player Ambati Rayudu.
Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav are in contention for the ICC men's Player of the Month award for September, while Smriti Mandhana has been shortlisted for the women's award.
On Sunday, in the crucible of Dubai, it all comes down to a single question: Who will seize their moment and become a hero for a nation?
Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma's superb all-round showing powered India to a historic first-ever Women's ODI World Cup title after they outclassed South Africa by 52 runs in the final.
Sri Lanka will look to build on their perfect start in Asia Cup when they take on a struggling Hong Kong in Dubai on Monday.
New Zealand, champions in 2000, are just outside the top four with three points from as many games.
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