India outclass Pakistan by seven wickets in Asia Cup encounter

India crushed Pakistan by seven wickets in the high-voltage encounter of the T20 Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.  

India's batting line comfortably chased down a modest target of 128 runs set by Pakistan. 

 Batting first, Pakistan struggled against disciplined Indian bowling and managed to post only 127 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Despite the low total, Pakistan hoped to mount some resistance with the ball, but India’s batting lineup displayed composure and authority.

The chase was anchored by Suryakumar Yadav, who top-scored with a fluent 47 runs.

He was well supported by young talents Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, both of whom contributed valuable knocks of 31 runs each.

The Indian batsmen’s assured stroke play ensured the target was reached in the 16th over, sealing the contest with plenty of time to spare.

For Pakistan, the only bright spot in an otherwise disappointing outing came from opener-turned-bowler Saim Ayub, who remarkably claimed all three Indian wickets. His spirited effort, however, was not enough to prevent India from taking full control of the match.

Earlier, a late onslaught by Shaheen Shah Afridi pushed Pakistan to a reasonable total of 127. He scored 33 with the help of four mighty sixes. 

Green Shirts' batting lineup crumbled under pressure as India struck repeatedly in the match. 

By the end of 20 overs, Pakistan had been restricted to 127 for nine, leaving their innings in disarray against a relentless Indian attack.

Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Chakravarthy shared six wickets between them.

Opener Saim Ayub was dismissed for a duck, while fellow top-order batter Muhammad Haris could add only three runs before falling cheaply.

Fakhar Zaman offered brief resistance with 17 runs, but his dismissal added to Pakistan’s woes.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha also failed to steady the innings, managing just three runs before being sent back to the pavilion.

The early collapse handed India complete control of the much-anticipated clash, as Pakistan struggled to build momentum.

With four key wickets already down inside the first ten overs, the team faces an uphill battle to recover and post a competitive total.

Earlier, Pakistan Captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to bat first in the much-anticipated Asia Cup clash against India at the Dubai Cricket Stadium.

Agha said the team has been playing good cricket and noted that the surface looks on the slower side. They want to put a par-plus total.

Pakistan retained the same team that played against Oman, as the captain insisted they needed a lot of spin on these conditions. So it means there was no place for the pacer Haris Rauf, who previously had a good outing against India.

Suryakumar Yadav said he already wanted to bowl first, so he's not fussed.

He added that the preparations for the game were good, which is important for him.

He added that they played on the adjacent pitch in the previous match (against UAE) and it was good for batting, got better under lights.

India also remained unchanged from their first match against the UAE.

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, excitement has reached fever pitch as fans scramble for tickets, and expectations from the Pakistan team are soaring.

Supporters are pinning hopes on memorable performances, whether from opener Sahibzada Farhan, young talent Hasan Nawaz, or dynamic batter Saim Ayub.

The players, fully aware of the spotlight, have been sharpening their preparations. Head coach Mike Hesson described the Dubai wicket as favourable for batting, raising prospects of a high-scoring contest.

Meanwhile, opener Saim Ayub voiced strong determination, declaring that the team’s ultimate goal is not just victory over India but lifting the Asia Cup trophy.

“We will play fearlessly against every side, including India,” he said. “The biggest challenge is to win matches for Pakistan.”

Off the field, however, controversy continues. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly decided against sending any top officials to Dubai for the match, with political tensions once again spilling into the sport.

Their absence has been linked to boycott calls in India, which critics say undermines the spirit of sportsmanship and the etiquette of hosting international cricket.

As the arch-rivals prepare to face off, millions of fans across the world will be glued to their screens, hoping for a night of unforgettable cricket.

Squads

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed