India rose to victory at the 2025 Asia Cup final, securing their ninth championship title win with a five-wicket win over Pakistan. It was also India’s second success in the T20 format of the Asia Cup after 2016. The match, hosted in Dubai, also marked the first-ever India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final, and the fierce battle put on by the teams did not disappoint.
Pakistan began the match on a positive note, sent into bat first, showing off a solid team-up between openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, who scored 57 and 46, respectively, combining for 84 runs. At 113 for one, with more than seven overs left, Pakistan looked on course for a total close to 180.
Despite Pakistan’s dominant start, India quickly reversed the situation with spinner Kuldeep Yadav. His 4 for 30 spell dismantled the middle order, causing the green and white team to collapse quickly, losing 9 wickets for just 33 runs. What seemed to be a very promising inning ended at just 146 all out, turning the prospects in India’s favour.
India’s pursuit began on a rougher note, with Abhishek Sharma, who had been delivering smooth performances throughout the course of the tournament, falling to Faheem Ashraf. He was soon followed by skipper Suryakumar Yadav. Shubman Gill was also out in the fourth over, leaving India in a precarious position.
Although the breakthrough gave Pakistan a sense of renewed hope, India once again gained the upper hand as the innings were steadied by Tilak Varma.The batter executed a composed delivery, maintaining rapport with Shivam Dube and, later, Sanju Samson.
Varma’s unbeaten 69 from 53 deliveries, which consisted of three boundaries and four sixes, proved vital. Dube contributed 33 off 22 balls, while Samson pulled off a 24 from 21, their combined efforts ensuring that India crossed the line with two balls to spare, making celebrations go off in the stands.
Tilak Varma was named Player of the Final for his match-winning innings, which he described as one of the most important knocks of his career, while praising the support he received from his teammates.
There were also several other standout performers from the Indian team, including Abhishek Sharma, who was announced as the Player of the Tournament, with 314 runs at an average of 44.85. His aggressive batting style has played a vital role in India’s earlier victories. Kuldeep Yadav emerged as the most successful bowler of the tournament with 17 wickets, including two four-wicket hauls.
Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka also made headlines as the second-highest run-scorer, compiling 261 runs in six innings. He was the only centurion of the competition, scoring 107 against India in the Super Four stage.
Despite the thrilling cricket on the field, the post-match presentation ended with an unexpected twist to the evening as tensions resurfaced between the two teams when the Indian players declined to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, continuing a pattern seen earlier in the tournament.
The situation escalated during the prize-giving ceremony after awarding individual medals and cheques, with India reportedly refusing to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who serves as head of the Pakistan Cricket Board and president of the Asian Cricket Council and also holds the position of Pakistan’s interior minister. The incident prompted Naqvi to leave the ground without handing the trophy to the winning team.
With the Pakistan team already back in the dressing room, the night ended without the traditional trophy presentation, leaving fans puzzled.
Nevertheless, India’s win yet again reinforced the country’s dominance in regional cricket. With this being their ninth Asia title win, the 2025 tournament also showcased the team’s consistency since the tournament’s inception in 1984.
