KEY POINTS
- India chased down a target of 147, winning by 5 wickets with two balls to spare.
- Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 off 53 balls anchored the innings under pressure.
- Pakistan’s strong 84-run opening stand was undone by Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket burst, leading to a dramatic collapse as they were bowled out for 146 in 19.1 overs.
DUBAI: India lifted the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday after defeating Pakistan by five wickets in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, sealing the title with a composed middle-order recovery following an early top-order collapse. India successfully chased down the target of 147 runs in 19.4 overs.
India’s narrow 5-wicket victory over Pakistan was powered by a brilliant innings of 69 runs off 53 balls from the young star Tilak Varma.
Chasing a modest target of 147 set by Pakistan, India found themselves under early pressure, losing key wickets inside the powerplay.
However, Varma’s calm and composed knock of 69 runs off 53 balls, laced with three boundaries and four towering sixes, anchored the innings and guided India to a tense win with two balls to spare.
Varma’s patient yet aggressive approach helped steady the ship after early blows, including the dismissals of Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and captain Suryakumar Yadav.
Partnering with Sanju Samson and later Shivam Dube, Varma kept the scoreboard ticking and ensured that India kept pace with the required run rate despite tight bowling spells from Pakistan.
Earlier, Pakistan’s promising start of 84/0 was undone by a brilliant bowling performance from India’s Kuldeep Yadav, who took four crucial wickets to trigger a middle-order collapse.
Despite spirited efforts from openers Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46), Pakistan fell short, finishing all out for 146 in 19.1 overs.
India’s bowlers shared the wickets around, with Jasprit Bumrah picking up two key dismissals and Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy chipping in with tight spells.
But it was Varma’s unbeaten knock under pressure that proved decisive in clinching India’s ninth Asia Cup title and extending their dominance over Pakistan in T20 cricket.
The win not only highlights Varma’s rising star status on the international stage but also underscores India’s resilience in high-pressure chases, especially in historic rivalry matches like this one.
Summary:
Pakistan: 146 all out in 19.1 overs
Top scorers: Sahibzada Farhan 57, Fakhar Zaman 46
India: 150/5 in 19.4 overs (Target 147)
Top performer: Tilak Varma 69* (53 balls)
India’s victory sends them home as Asia Cup champions once again, with Varma’s innings celebrated as the standout performance in a memorable final.
