Dubai [UAE], September 29 (ANI): A scintillating half-century by Tilak Varma and vital partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube guided India to a thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, securing their second T20I Asia Cup title and ninth overall across formats.
India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, extended their dominant run in T20Is, winning 18 matches with only two defeats and two ties since Yadav assumed captaincy. Chasing 147, India recovered from a precarious 20/3 to post 150/5 in 19.4 overs, with Tilak unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls, including three fours and four sixes. Rinku Singh sealed the win with a boundary under immense pressure.
Pakistan’s innings, after a blistering start, collapsed dramatically from 113/1 to 146 all out, largely due to Kuldeep Yadav’s brilliant spin bowling (4/30). Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35 balls) had steadied the innings, but successive wickets — including a hat-trick-like burst by Kuldeep — triggered a collapse. Faheem Ashraf was Pakistan’s most successful bowler with 3/29.
India’s chase began poorly. Abhishek Sharma (5 off 5) was dismissed early, followed by quick losses of Suryakumar Yadav (1) and Shubman Gill (12), leaving India reeling at 20/3 inside four overs. Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson counterattacked, adding 57 runs for the fourth wicket before Samson fell for 24. Shivam Dube’s brisk 33 off 22 balls provided momentum in the death overs.
Tilak’s composed innings under pressure was the backbone of India’s chase. His partnership with Dube, and later Rinku Singh, ensured India maintained the run rate. With 10 needed from the last over, Tilak struck a six, and Rinku finished with a four to clinch victory in a pulsating finale.
Kuldeep Yadav’s remarkable spell, supported by Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy, turned the game. Jasprit Bumrah sealed the match with a key wicket, celebrated with an emphatic ‘airplane crash’ gesture following a heated contest earlier in the tournament.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan: 146/10 in 19.1 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 57, Fakhar Zaman 46; Kuldeep Yadav 4/30)
India: 150/5 in 19.4 overs (Tilak Varma 69*, Shivam Dube 33; Faheem Ashraf 3/29)
India lifted the Asia Cup in dramatic fashion, adding another memorable chapter to one of cricket’s greatest rivalries.
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