Picture : BCCI/X
India continued their ruthless domnance over Pakistan as they romped home by six wickets in a bitter contest in Super4 Asia Cup 2025 encounter in Dubai . The no handshake issue in their previous match menat that the second one would be a hard fought one.
Pakistan after a rather listless show in the earlier match came out with a much better performance in their second outing agianst India. There was intent and aggression from the start. Thus paving the way for a good contest .
Expectedly India Skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl first. Pakistan were eager to go from the start . And they got off to brisk start. Fakhar Zaman opening the batting threatened a big but fell to controversial caught behind ( replays showed as pointed out by Waqar Younis that the ball had touched the ground before ending on Samson’s gloves) decsion by Samson off Hardik Pandya for 15 off 9. Saim Ayub scored a quick 21 .
They lost their way in the middle though with Hussain Talat out for 10 . Mohammad Nawaz run-out is careless manner found short of the crease for 21. India were sloppy in the field with as many as four dropped catches . And ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah having rather off day wit the ball. Shivam Dube chipped in with his bowling to bag two key wickets to peg Pakistan back.
Despite the start and the momentum Pakistan could manage 171/4 in their 20 overs. Skipper Salman Agha not out 17 struggled to find the big shots when needed and Faheem Ashraf played a nice cameo not out 20 ( 8 balls , 1 four, 2 sixes) .
The star of the Pakistan batting was Sahibzada Farhan. The opener smashed a fine 58 ( 45 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes) and celebrated his fifty in style by showing his bat in shooting mode like a AK- 47 rifile.
India bowling was tested for the first time . Jasprit Bumrah 0/45 ( 4 overs), Hardik Pandya 1/29 ( 4 overs), Kuldeep Yadav 1/31 ( 4 overs), Varun Chakaravarthy 0/25 ( 4 overs), Axar {Patel 0/8( 1 over), Shivam Dube 2/31 ( 4 overs)
In reply India got off to a flier with Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. The chase got heated up as Haris Rauf and Abhishek exchanged words . It was the century run opening stand that took the game away from Pakistan.
Gill and Abhishek unleashed array of shots and ran aggressivle between the between the wickets and put India in command by putting on 105 for the first wicket in 9.5 overs.
Gill was first to go for 47 ( 27 balls, 8 fours) a comeback of sorts after his poor scores in previous matches. Abhishek was unstoppable in his blistering 74 ( 39 balls , 6 fours, 5 sixes).
India were jolted though with the wickets of Skipper Suryakumar Yadav ( 0) , Sanju Samson ( 13) . But Tilak Varma not out 30 ( 19 balls 2 fours, 2 sixes) and Hardik Pandya not out 7 saw India home with six wickets and seven balls to spare . India reaching 174/4 in 18.5 overs. With below par fielding and Bowling and batting middle- order tested it was a not an easy win for India.
Pakistan would rue not having enough runs on board . Bowlers failed to get the breakthrough and hence they struggled. And wickets just came late. Shaheen Afridi 0/40 ( 3.5 overs) was poor effort. Saim Ayub 0/35 ( 3 overs), Abrar Ahmed 1/42 ( 4 overs), Haris Rauf bolwed with hisnususla fire bagging 2/26 ( 4 overs), Faheem Ashraf 1/31 ( 4 overs)
India is yet to be beaten in the tournament as they remain firm favourites to win the title . Paksitan on the other hand will now need to win both their matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh if they hope to reach the final.
Match: Asia Cup 2025, Super Fours
Venue: Dubai | Date: September 21, 2025
