Cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that the Suryakumar Yadav-led India walked into the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against Pakistan with a point to prove after the off-field drama that followed the group-stage game, including the handshake controversy and PCB's protest to ban the match referee.
Gavaskar said that India were under pressure after Pakistan's drama during the last clash, and the pressure was to defeat Pakistan in style.
“I think, after all the halla-bullu that happened after the last game, the pressure was definitely on the Indians. Maybe it showed on the field, as they dropped relatively simple catches. Of course, there were some difficult ones, but the standard we see today makes even tough chances look simple," Gavaskar told IndiaToday.
"Yes, the pressure was on India to win this game in style, especially given everything that happened last Sunday. In this way, they showed they have the temperament to handle all that and deliver under pressure,” he added.
Coming back to the match, Pakistan started their batting with all guns blazing as Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan stitched a 72-run partnership, lifting the score to 91 for 1 at the halfway stage. However, India's Shivam Dube removed both set batters, and India’s spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy tightened the screws. Pakistan’s innings lost direction. The side managed to score just 30 runs from 11 to 16 overs. However, Faheem Ashraf’s cameo of 20 from 8 balls helped the Men in Green to put 171 on board.
While chasing, India's openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma smashed Pakistan bowlers all over the ground, hammering 105 runs together in just 59 deliveries. Abhishek smashed 74 off 39 balls, while Gill’s 47 off 28 provided the perfect foil. Pakistan's bowling unit looked helpless, and India chased down the target in just 18.5 overs. India will now face Bangladesh in their second Super Four clash on September 24 at Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.