DUBAI: In a crucial Super Four match at the Asia Cup, India put on a strong performance to beat arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets. This victory, secured with an impressive chase, not only highlighted India’s strength but also added to the off-field tensions surrounding the fierce rivalry.
Abhishek Sharma led the charge with a remarkable 74 runs off just 39 balls. He made it easy for India to chase down Pakistan’s competitive target of 172. Sharma’s innings, along with 47 from Shubman Gill, got the team off to an explosive start. Together, they formed a 105-run opening partnership within 9 overs, showcasing the aggressive T20 style of the Indian team.
Even with a brief struggle in the middle order, India completed the chase with seven balls remaining. Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya ensured a smooth finish. Earlier, Indian bowlers, especially Shivam Dube, played a key role by taking important wickets during the middle overs, slowing down Pakistan’s scoring
𝗔 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗴 𝗶𝗻 #𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝟰! 🙌#TeamIndia continue their winning run in the #AsiaCup2025! 👏 👏
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 21, 2025
Scoreboard ▶️ https://t.co/CNzDX2HKll pic.twitter.com/mdQrfgFdRS
The Evolving Rivalry and Off-Field Tensions
The tension was just as high off the field as it was during the match. There was no post-match handshake between the two teams, highlighting the ongoing political and sports issues. This has become common in recent matches, showing the strained relations.
The match also featured Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, who caused a stir on social media with a controversial “6-0” gesture aimed at Indian fans. This gesture, thought to reference unverified claims from a past military conflict, received considerable backlash online, showing how the rivalry often crosses into geopolitical matters.
After the match, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav stated clearly that the long-standing contest “can no longer be considered serious rivals” because of India’s consistent winning record. His comments indicate growing confidence within the Indian team and a belief that the gap between the two teams is widening.
India Innings Scorecard
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs (Balls) | 4s | 6s |
| Abhishek Sharma | c Rauf b Abrar Ahmed | 74 (39) | 6 | 5 |
| Shubman Gill | b Faheem Ashraf | 47 (28) | 8 | 0 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (c) | c Abrar Ahmed b Rauf | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 |
| Tilak Varma | not out | 30 (19) | 2 | 2 |
| Sanju Samson | b Haris Rauf | 13 (17) | 1 | 0 |
| Hardik Pandya | not out | 7 (7) | 1 | 0 |
| Extras | (w 3, lb 0, nb 0) | 3 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-105 (Gill), 2-106 (Suryakumar), 3-123 (Abhishek), 4-148 (Samson)
Pakistan Innings Scorecard
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs (Balls) | 4s | 6s |
| Fakhar Zaman | c & b Hardik Pandya | 21 (17) | 3 | 0 |
| Sahibzada Farhan | c & b Shivam Dube | 58 (45) | 5 | 3 |
| Saim Ayub | c Abhishek b Shivam Dube | 21 (17) | 3 | 0 |
| Hussain Talat | c & b Kuldeep Yadav | 1 (4) | 0 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | c Varma b Hardik Pandya | 21 (19) | 1 | 1 |
| Salman Agha (c) | not out | 17 (13) | 0 | 1 |
| Faheem Ashraf | not out | 20 (8) | 1 | 2 |
| Extras | (w 10, lb 2, b 1) | 13 | ||
| Total | (5 wickets, 20 overs) | 171 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-21 (Zaman), 2-93 (Ayub), 3-110 (Talat), 4-115 (Farhan), 5-149 (Nawaz)
For more news and analysis on this match and other sports, visit thetlcnews.com/sports.
