Dubai: In a nerve-wracking finale to the Asia Cup 2025, a sensational unbeaten innings from young sensation Tilak Varma (69*) steered India to a dramatic five-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium, securing their ninth Asia Cup title.
Chasing a modest, yet challenging, target of 147, India recovered from a precarious early collapse to complete the chase with two balls to spare, cementing their dominance over Pakistan in the white-ball format this season.
Pakistan’s Batting Collapse: Kuldeep’s Spin Magic
Earlier in the evening, after being asked to bat first, Pakistan got off to a flying start, riding on a commanding 84-run opening partnership between Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35). At one stage, Pakistan were cruising at 113 for 1 and looked set for a total well in excess of 170.
However, the Indian spin attack, led by the brilliant Kuldeep Yadav, triggered a spectacular and shocking collapse. Pakistan’s middle and lower order crumbled dramatically, losing their last nine wickets for a mere 33 runs. The entire team was bundled out for 146 in 19.1 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav was the architect of the turnaround, finishing with superb figures of 4 wickets for 30 runs. He was ably supported by the spin duo of Axar Patel (2/26) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/30), who collectively accounted for eight Pakistani wickets, exposing the weakness against high-quality spin.
India’s Shaky Start and Varma’s Masterclass
India’s chase began disastrously. The in-form top order faltered quickly, with Abhishek Sharma (5), Suryakumar Yadav (1), and Shubman Gill (12) all departing cheaply to leave the Men in Blue struggling at 20 for 3 inside the Powerplay, with Pakistan’s pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf causing early damage.
Stepping in under immense pressure, Tilak Varma exhibited remarkable composure. He first rebuilt the innings with a solid 57-run partnership alongside Sanju Samson (24 off 21). After Samson fell, the game-changing alliance came with Shivam Dube (33 off 22).
The Varma-Dube combination added a crucial 60 runs for the fifth wicket, aggressively targeting the middle overs and rotating the strike intelligently. Dube’s quickfire innings injected much-needed momentum, particularly against Haris Rauf.
With 10 runs required off the final over, Varma ensured there were no late jitters. He dispatched the controversial Haris Rauf for a towering six over mid-wicket on the first ball of the 20th over. Rinku Singh, the designated finisher, then walked in and sealed the victory with a crunching boundary off the third ball, completing the thrilling chase with two balls to spare.
Tilak Varma, who finished with an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls (3 fours, 4 sixes), was deservedly named the Player of the Match for his composed, match-winning performance. The victory marks India’s third consecutive win against Pakistan in the tournament, underlining their current supremacy in the format.
