India clinched their second T20I Asia Cup title with a thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. Tilak Varma starred with an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls, featuring three fours and four sixes, as Team India chased down 147 to secure their ninth Asia Cup crown overall, including ODI versions.
Under captain Suryakumar Yadav, India extended their dominant T20I form, now boasting 18 wins, two losses, and two ties since he took over. The match turned into a nail-biter, but steady partnerships from Tilak with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube pulled India through after an early wobble.
Pakistan posted 146 all out in 19.1 overs, thanks to a solid 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35 balls, including two fours and two sixes). But India’s spinners struck back hard. Kuldeep Yadav dazzled with 4/30, triggering a collapse from 113/1 to the final total. Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah also chipped in with key wickets, while Bumrah wrapped up the innings by yorking Haris Rauf for 6.
India’s chase started rocky. After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Suryakumar’s side faced early trouble. Abhishek Sharma fell for 5 off five balls, caught at mid-on by Haris Rauf off Faheem Ashraf. Suryakumar managed just 1 off five against Shaheen Shah Afridi, and vice-captain Shubman Gill holed out for 12 off 10 balls to Rauf. At 20/3 after four overs, India echoed tough chases from past finals like the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.
Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson steadied the ship with quick runs. They smashed boundaries to end the powerplay at 36/3. By the 10th over, India reached 58/3, with Samson on 16 and Tilak on 24. The duo added sixes off spinners, but Samson edged one to backward point off Abrar Ahmed for 24 off 21 balls (two fours, one six), breaking a 57-run stand. India slipped to 77/4 in 12.2 overs.
Pakistan’s spinners kept things tight through the middle overs, allowing just 24 runs from overs 11 to 14 with only one six. But the 15th over from Haris Rauf leaked 17 runs, including a boundary and six from Tilak and a four from Shivam Dube. India hit 100/4 after 15 overs, needing 47 off the last five.
Shivam Dube unleashed in the 16th over against Abrar Ahmed, smashing a six and forcing a wide for 11 runs total. Tilak reached his fifty off 41 balls right there. Shaheen’s next over went for six, leaving 30 needed off three. Haris Rauf bowled tightly but overpitched a full toss on the last ball, which Dube hammered for six, cutting the target to 17 off 12 balls.
Faheem Ashraf’s over brought three singles before Dube fired a four and then a straight six—only to get caught off the final ball for 33 off 22 (two fours, two sixes). India needed 10 off the last over from Rauf. Tilak and Rinku Singh ran two, then Tilak sealed it with a six, leaving two to win. Rinku finished with a four off the next ball. India reached 150/5 in 19.4 overs, with Rinku on 4 not out.
Faheem Ashraf topped Pakistan’s bowling with 3/29, while Shaheen and Abrar each claimed one wicket. Without Hardik Pandya, India’s spinners wove a web around Pakistan’s batting in the second innings, turning a strong position into a modest total.
Brief scores: Pakistan 146 all out in 19.1 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 57, Fakhar Zaman 46; Kuldeep Yadav 4/30). India 150/5 in 19.4 overs (Tilak Varma 69 not out, Shivam Dube 33; Faheem Ashraf 3/29).
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