India, Sept. 28 -- For all their continental muscle-flexing, it has taken India and Pakistan 41 years to set up a date in the final of the Asia Cup. In a tournament played against an uneasy backdrop of posturing and one-upmanship, on-field action has been overshadowed by off-field developments that have brought geopolitical tensions into sharp focus and intensified the pressure and unreasonable weight of expectations on players from both teams.

Not even Pakistan will contest the reality that India have comfortably been the strongest team of the tournament. Their perfect 6-0 record amply illustrates their dominance, even if they chose the scenic route home against Sri Lanka on Friday night. They have swatted Pakistan aside on two successi...