India proved why they are called the 'Asian Giants' as they lifted the Asia Cup 2025 title after Tilak Varma's masterclass helped Men in Blue defeat Pakistan by five wickets in a thrilling final at the Dubai International stadium on September 28. With this India extended their title count to nine.
India win ninth Asia Cup title
Batting first Pakistan couldn't cope Kuldeep Yadav's 4/30 fury and posted a below-par total of 146 despite Sahibzada Farhan's 57. In reply India got off to a jittery start but Tilak Varma's composed knock of 69 off 53 and Shivam Dube's 22-ball 33 handed India their record-extending ninth title.
The thrilling Asia Cup 2025 final culminated in a pulsating last-over finish, with India needing 10 runs off six balls against Haris Rauf, who had endured a difficult spell up to that point. Pakistan was further hampered by a slow over-rate penalty, which forced them to keep an extra fielder inside the ring. However, Tilak Varma needed just three balls to seal the victory. He miscued the first ball but managed to scramble two runs, then nonchalantly smashed the next for a six, and calmly struck the following delivery to mid-off to level the scores. This set the stage for Rinku Singh, playing his first match of the tournament, to hit the winning runs with a hoick over mid-on. This victory secured India's ninth Asia Cup title and marked their first limited-overs final win over Pakistan since the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Tilak Varma's special wins it for India
Chasing the slightly below-par target of 147, India were dealt a massive blow in the PowerPlay as their top three—Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav—were all dismissed cheaply. Pakistan's bowlers executed a clear plan: attacking the stumps and utilizing numerous slower balls in the first six overs to great effect. Faheem Ashraf's first ball of the match was a perfectly executed wide off-cutter that forced a miscue from Abhishek Sharma, resulting in an easy catch at mid-on. Both Gill and Suryakumar also fell victim to the slower ball, miscuing their lofted drives to be caught just inside the 30-yard circle. For an Indian team accustomed to stunning starts throughout the tournament, this aggressive bowling spelt a rude awakening in the championship final.
Despite the early setbacks, Tilak Varma looked fluent from the start. His crucial 57-run partnership with Sanju Samson successfully put India back on track, though Pakistan will regret dropping Samson when the score was 42. That partnership helped calm the nerves in the Indian dressing room, but Samson’s subsequent dismissal brought Pakistan right back into the contest. This set the stage for Shivam Dube to join Varma for a calculated and decisive partnership that steadily took the game away from Pakistan.
Shivam Dube's catalyst knock
Neither Varma nor Dube appeared rushed in their approach, and at times, their careful strategy made it seem like they were cutting it a little too close. However, through timely boundaries and well-placed sixes, their partnership systematically guided India across the finish line. Unlike their two previous commanding wins in the tournament, India was forced to earn this victory by playing out of their skins. The final outcome could have been different, as Varma survived a run-out scare when the score was 82, a blip that Pakistan will undoubtedly look back on with regret.
Kuldeep Yadav's wizardry to the fore
Earlier, a magnificent performance by the Indian spinners—led by a majestic Kuldeep Yadav, the wily Varun Chakravarthy, and the parsimonious Axar Patel—literally ran through an inept Pakistan batting line-up in the highly volatile Asia Cup final on Sunday. Despite being hamstrung by the absence of Hardik Pandya and momentarily pushed back by a solid 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35 balls), the Indian spin troika completely choked the arch-rivals. Their collective effort, with Kuldeep taking 4/30, Axar 2/26, and Chakravarthy 2/30 across their four overs each, brought India right back into the contest, restricting Pakistan to a below-par 146 all out in 19.1 overs.
The match dramatically turned on its head. From a comfortable position of 113 for one when Fakhar and Saim Ayub were at the crease, Pakistan’s batting order collapsed like a house of cards once Kuldeep dismissed Ayub. India seized complete control, taking the remaining nine wickets for just 33 runs to gain a significant upper hand at the halfway mark of the final.
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In a moment of added drama, Jasprit Bumrah (2/25 in 3.1 overs), who was having an uncharacteristic off day, dismissed Haris Rauf with a yorker. Bumrah then made a gesture resembling a crashing plane as a send-off, a move that echoed the Pakistani pacer’s controversial gesture towards Indian fans in the previous game. The key to the stunning shift between the first and second half of the innings was the change in strategy; the Indian spinners focused on bowling tight lines and utilizing pace-off deliveries, which completely dismantled the Pakistani batters.
Troika of Kuldeep, Varun, Axar left Pakistan in a spin
The turning point came when all the Indian spinners began delivering slightly slower deliveries outside the batters' hitting arc, a strategy that immediately paid dividends. In their attempts to hit their way out of trouble, both Salman Ali Agha and Hussain Talat failed miserably.
Despite the eventual collapse, Pakistan had started brilliantly, punishing loose deliveries, with Hardik Pandya's absence being clearly felt during the Powerplay. Farhan once again targeted Jasprit Bumrah early, mirroring his aggression from the previous two games, while Shivam Dube conceded a couple of boundaries in his first two overs. Pakistan executed their plan well in the Powerplay, playing within their limits but making optimal use of the field restrictions to rack up 45 runs without losing a wicket. Farhan was particularly aggressive, hitting a six off Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep, and Axar, while Fakhar Zaman connected for a flat slog sweep six off Kuldeep. Farhan brought up his fifty off 35 balls, though his celebrations were noticeably muted. However, everything changed after the break. Varun Chakravarthy, despite being hit for a six by Farhan, got lucky when the batter pulled a half-tracker directly into the hands of Tilak Varma at deep mid-wicket. A steady partnership then developed between Saim Ayub and Fakhar, taking the score to 113 before the Pakistan innings completely and irreversibly fell apart.