India pulled off a thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, clinching their second T20I title and ninth overall. The match in Dubai kept fans on the edge of their seats, with Rinku Singh sealing the win in style on Sunday.
Rinku, making his debut in the Asia Cup, smashed the winning four on the first ball he faced. “Nothing else matters. This one ball matters. One was needed. I hit it for a four,” he said with a grin after the game. “Everyone knows I’m a finisher. Team won, and I’m really happy.”
The chase started rocky for India. After opting to field first, they bowled Pakistan out for 146 in 19.1 overs. Pakistan looked strong early with an 84-run opening stand—Sahirzada Farhan smashed 57 off 38 balls, including four fours and three sixes, while Fakhar Zaman added 46 off 35. But India’s spinners turned the tide. Kuldeep Yadav grabbed 4 for 30, Varun Chakravarthy took 2 for 30, and Jasprit Bumrah wrapped it up with 2 for 25.
In reply, India stumbled to 20 for 3 thanks to Faheem Ashraf’s burst of 3 for 29. That’s when Tilak Varma stepped up with an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls—three fours and four sixes. He first partnered with Sanju Samson for 57 runs (Samson made 24 off 21, with two fours and a six), then linked with Shivam Dube for more fireworks. Dube blasted 33 off 22, including two fours and two sixes, helping India cross the line with overs to spare.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel called it a “special performance by the boys tonight.” He praised Dube’s all-round show, noting how he bowled with the new ball after Hardik Pandya’s injury. “We discussed that opportunity for him. Practice sessions are focused; they know how to get ready. It was hot in Dubai, so managing recovery was key. It came down to who held their nerve—Shivam and Tilak took that partnership deep.”
Vice-captain Shubman Gill couldn’t hide his excitement about the unbeaten tournament run. “Pretty amazing. Whole tournament unbeaten, feels incredible. We’ve played so much cricket together. Batting with Tilak is amazing—he’s been phenomenal. We talked about taking it deep. The target wasn’t huge, but Sanju and Tilak soaked up the pressure, then Dube hit those sixes. Even with 30 needed off three overs on a slow wicket with big boundaries, they nailed it.”
Under captain Suryakumar Yadav, India keeps dominating T20Is with 18 wins, just two losses, and two ties since he took over. This Asia Cup triumph adds another chapter to the India-Pakistan rivalry, and fans are already buzzing about what’s next.
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