Dubai, UAE. In a thrilling match that showcased the legendary rivalry, India won their ninth Asia Cup title by beating arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The dramatic final, held on Sunday, featured an impressive performance from India’s young players, led by the steady Tilak Varma, whose unbeaten 69 helped the team navigate a tough chase.
The final was a display of changing momentum, a rollercoaster of emotions that kept cricket fans anxious. Pakistan batted first after winning the toss and seemed to be in control. The opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46) set a strong foundation, taking Pakistan to 84 without loss. With a strong start, they looked ready to post a formidable total of well over 180.
However, everything changed dramatically with the introduction of India’s spin trio. Kuldeep Yadav, the game’s top-ranked spinner, ignited a sensational collapse, ending with an impressive figure of 4 for 30. With backing from Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy, the Indian spinners destroyed the opposition’s middle order, leading Pakistan to lose their last nine wickets for just 33 runs. From a solid 113 for 1, they were shockingly bowled out for 146 in 19.1 overs. Jasprit Bumrah finished off the tail, taking two important wickets.
India’s chase began on shaky ground. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf took advantage of the early conditions, leaving India in a tough spot at 20 for 3 during the powerplay. The pressure was high as key players like Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill were dismissed quickly. In this tense moment, Tilak Varma stepped up. Showing great composure, he formed a vital 57-run partnership with Sanju Samson (24) to stabilize the innings.
As the match reached its final overs, the tension grew. With 10 runs needed off the last seven balls, Varma teamed up with Shivam Dube (33) to bring the chase within reach. Although Dube was out in the second to last over, Varma stayed focused. He hit a massive six off Haris Rauf in the final over, swinging the game decisively in India’s favor. Rinku Singh fittingly sealed the victory with a boundary off the only ball he faced.
This victory not only marks India’s ninth Asia Cup title but also highlights their resilience and strength. The win showcases the team’s ability to perform under pressure, with young talents like Varma rising to the occasion on such a significant stage.
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Scorecard
Source:[28]1st innings
 Pakistan batting | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike rate | |
| Sahibzada Farhan | c Tilak b Varun | 57 | 38 | 5 | 3 | 150.00 | |
| Fakhar Zaman | c Yadav b Varun | 46 | 35 | 2 | 2 | 131.42 | |
| Saim Ayub | c Bumrah b Yadav | 14 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 127.27 | |
| Mohammad Haris | c Rinku b Patel | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Salman Ali Agha | c †Samson b Yadav | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 114.28 | |
| Hussain Talat | c †Samson b Patel | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | |
| Mohammad Nawaz | c Rinku b Bumrah | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 | |
| Shaheen Afridi | lbw b Yadav | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Faheem Ashraf | c Tilak b Yadav | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Haris Rauf | b Bumrah | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 150.00 | |
| Abrar Ahmed | not out | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | |
| Extras | (b 1, lb 2, w 4) | 7 | |||||
| Total | (10 wickets; 19.1 overs) | 146 | 10 | 5 | RR: 7.61 | ||
Fall of wickets: 1/84 (Farhan, 9.4 ov), 2/113 (Ayub, 12.5 ov), 3/114 (Haris, 13.3 ov), 4/126 (Zaman, 14.4 ov), 5/131 (Talat, 15.3 ov), 6/133 (Salman, 16.1 ov), 7/134 (Afridi, 16.4 ov), 8/134 (Ashraf, 16.6 ov), 9/141 (Rauf, 17.5 ov), 10/146 (Nawaz, 19.1 ov)
 India bowling | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ | Wides | NBs |
| Shivam Dube | 3 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 7.66 | 0 | 0 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 3.1 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 7.89 | 0 | 0 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 4 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 7.50 | 0 | 0 |
| Axar Patel | 4 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 6.50 | 0 | 0 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 4 | 0 | 30 | 4 | 7.50 | 4 | 0 |
| Tilak Varma | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 | 0 | 0 |
2nd innings
| India batting | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike rate | |
| Abhishek Sharma | c Rauf b Ashraf | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 | |
| Shubman Gill | c Rauf b Ashraf | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 | |
| Suryakumar Yadav | c Salman b Afridi | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 | |
| Tilak Varma | not out | 69 | 53 | 3 | 4 | 130.18 | |
| Sanju Samson | c Farhan b Abrar | 24 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 114.28 | |
| Shivam Dube | c Afridi b Ashraf | 33 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 150.00 | |
| Rinku Singh | not out | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 400.00 | |
| Axar Patel | |||||||
| Kuldeep Yadav | |||||||
| Varun Chakravarthy | |||||||
| Jasprit Bumrah | |||||||
| Extras | (w 2) | 2 | |||||
| Total | (5 wickets; 19.4 overs) | 150 | 10 | 7 | RR: 7.62 | ||
Fall of wickets: 1/7 (Abhishek, 1.1 ov), 2/10 (Suryakumar, 2.3 ov), 3/20 (Gill, 3.6 ov), 4/77 (Samson, 12.2 ov), 5/137 (Dube, 18.6 ov)
| Pakistan bowling | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ | Wides | NBs |
| Shaheen Afridi | 4 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 5.00 | 0 | 0 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 4 | 0 | 29 | 3 | 7.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6.00 | 0 | 0 |
| Haris Rauf | 3.4 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 13.63 | 1 | 0 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 7.25 | 1 | 0 |
| Saim Ayub | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 5.33 | 0 | 0 |
