IND vs PAK: Tilak, Kuldeep shine as India crowned Asia Cup champions for ninth time

For the third successive Sunday, India and Pakistan found themselves face-to-face in the 2025 Asia Cup, but this time the stakes were unlike any before. In the tournament’s 41-year history, never had the arch-rivals clashed in a final, and the weight of that occasion ensured the edge was sharper than ever. And on this historic night, India not only embraced the pressure but rose above it, blending grit with brilliance to script their ninth Asia Cup triumph.

The summit clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium was a tale of two halves. First came the spin-fuelled dominance that ripped apart Pakistan’s batting after a promising start. And then, the heart and resilience of India’s middle order, led by a mature, unbeaten 69 from Tilak Varma, which turned nerves into triumph. By the time Rinku Singh’s boundary sealed the five-wicket win, the Indian dressing room had erupted, players bounding onto the field to celebrate a night that once again reinforced their supremacy in the T20 format.

Advertisement

India’s chase of 147 began in the most unconvincing fashion. A silenced crowd watched in shock as the top three batters departed within the powerplay, leaving the scoreboard wobbling at 20/3. Abhishek Sharma, India’s star through the tournament, perished early while captain Suryakumar Yadav’s lean patch continued. Shubman Gill too failed to convert, and suddenly, Pakistan smelled an opening.

India desperately needed some solidity from the middle order. Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson were tasked with the repair work and the left-right duo came up with a defiant 57-run stand to restore some parity in the contest before leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed once again raised hopes for Pakistan with the scalp of Samson, for a 21-ball 24, laced with two fours and a six.

The absence of Hardik Pandya due to a quad injury meant Shivam Dube had to shoulder the responsibility of carrying forward the momentum Sanju had set in the company of Tilak, who by now was gaining in confidence against Pakistan’s spinners and pacers, alike.

Dube didn’t waste time in getting his eyes in and warmed up by smashing Haris Rauf for a boundary before Tilak deposited Abrar into the stands before surviving a close run-out chance, thanks to Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammed Haris’ lack of game awareness. By the time, Pakistan realised the mistake, Varma went on to complete a brilliant 41-ball half century under intense pressure.

The tension was palpable with the boundaries drying up before Dube broke the shackles with a six off Haris Rauf to reduce the equation to 17 off the final two overs. Faheem Ashraf, who struggled to bowl the penultimate over, managed to break the match-defining 60-run stand on the final ball of his spell, leaving India with 10 to win the final over. With Tilak in middle, India’s hopes were sealed with a six off Rauf along with Rinku Singh finishing with a 1-ball boundary.

Earlier, put into bat, Pakistan began with uncharacteristic authority. Sahibzada Farhan’s 36-ball fifty and Fakhar Zaman’s calculated aggression propelled them to a sparkling 84-run opening stand. For a brief period, their fans dared to believe this was a redemption story, a chance to finally shake off the scars of past collapses. But the belief was a mirage.

Once spin entered, the unraveling began. Varun Chakravarthy broke through with Farhan’s wicket, and Kuldeep returned to unleash familiar torment. Saim Ayub flickered with intent, Fakhar seemed poised to take charge and then it all came apart. Kuldeep prised out Ayub and returned in his final over for a breathtaking triple strike, dismantling Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf in a matter of deliveries. Axar Patel too joined the destruction, dismissing Haris and Talat in quick succession, while Fakhar’s dismissal all but broke Pakistan’s backbone.

From a commanding 113/1, Pakistan crashed spectacularly to 146 all out. Their last nine wickets tumbled for a mere 33 runs, a collapse that underlined both their frailty against spin and India’s relentless ruthlessness in big matches. Jasprit Bumrah applied the final blow, knocking over Haris Rauf and Mohammad Nawaz, leaving Pakistan stunned and their supporters deflated.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 146 (Sahibzada Farhan 57, Fakhar Zaman 46; Kuldeep Yadav 4/30, Axar Patel 2/26, Varun Chakravarthy 2/30, Jasprit Bumrah 2.25) lose to India 150/5 (Tilak Varma 69 not out, Shivam Dube 33, Sanju Samson 24; Faheem Ashraf 3/29) by 5 wickets.