India romped home in style with a six-wicket win, chasing down the 172-run target with ease in their second high-intensity encounter against Pakistan in the men’s Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.
Abhishek Sharma was adjudicated player-of-the-match — scoring 74 runs of 39 balls as he led the Indian effort from the front after getting a reprieve in Shaheen’s second over.
The bitterness between the players, which started with India’s refusal of customary handshakes in the first encounter, continued as Sharma at the post-match ceremony said: “Today it was very simple, the way they were coming (at) us for no reason, I didn’t like it at all, and this is the only way I could give [an answer] with my bat.”
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, speaking after the match, said, “We are yet to play the perfect game. We batted really well — but I think when it came to the bowling, they took the game away in the powerplay.”
He said they could have got 15 more runs after being 91 in the first 10 overs, but added that 171 was still a good total.
The Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav appreciated the character shown by his team after being behind in the game after the first innings.
Match report:
The Indian opening batters, after early reprieves, made a mockery of a decent score by the Pakistani batters as the Men in Blue chased down their highest score against the Green Shirts in men’s T20Is.
In the first innings, the Indian bowlers — barring Shivam Dube — had no answers to the Pakistani onslaught with the bat. The Men in Blue’s fielding was nervy and even worse than their bowling effort, with multiple dropped chances.
Pakistan’s batters smashed both the Indian pacers and the spinners on a dry pitch that got better as the match continued — with India making full use of the easier conditions.
Shubman’s off-stump went for a walk as Faheem bowled him, but it was too little too late. — AFP
Dube was the only redeeming aspect of the Indian bowling effort, as he got crucial wickets in the middle overs and dried up scoring — Pakistan going 39 balls without boundaries after being in a commanding position of 91-1 after 10 overs.
Nearly all the Pakistani batters had a commendable day with the bat as India were under pressure from ball one with the start Fakhar got. They ultimately got to their highest score batting first against India in men’s T20Is — on the back of Sahibzada’s 50 and some late-order hitting by Faheem and skipper Salman.
Fakhar’s controversial dismissal was a major talking point, after the southpaw opener was given out by the third umpire caught by the keeper, though visuals showed that there was definitely room for doubt whether the ball carried — which usually goes in the batter’s favour.
But the Green Shirts had continued with their tradition of facing opponents with one hand tied behind their backs. They had picked Hussain Talat in a bid to strengthen their batting — but at the expense of leaving out their big hitters like Hassan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah.
Two out of three Pakistani pacers continued the tradition of Pakistani fastmen troubling Indian batters — with Haris Rauf in particular giving the Men in Blue a run for their money on a placid pitch.
India’s Sanju Samson is clean bowled by Pakistan’s Haris Rauf during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 21, 2025. — AFP
He made a mess of Sanju Samson’s middle-stump and got the Indian skipper out for a duck with his express pace as well — giving away just 26 runs in his four overs.
Pakistan still have one more potential chance of redemption against the Men in Blue — if they build on the positives in this game and play well across both departments to reach the Asia Cup final next Sunday.
India’s Hardik Pandya (R) looks at Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 21, 2025. — AFP
Live Coverage ends:
India’s reply:
Over 19 — India – 174/4
18.1: Shaheen starts with an absolute beast of a yorker, but Pandya manages to keep it out.
18.2: Pandya swings and misses.
That’s a 92m six for Verma, and he follows it up with a flick to the fine-leg boundary.
That’s all for today, folks, as India make easy work of this tricky chase.
India’s Tilak Varma (L) and Sanju Samson run between the wickets during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 21, 2025. — AFP
Over 18 — India – 160/4
Faheem comes in to bowl.
Seems a matter of time for India now. Pakistan needed a tight over but Faheem was wayward and was duly dispatched for six on the second ball. 10 runs come off it and India are now nine away from victory.
Over 17 — India – 153/4
16.4: Haris strikes with a jaffa! He delivers an absolute peach of a delivery thats makes a mess of Samson’s stumps!
16.5: Hardik Pandya gets off the mark with a four through midwicket. Haris is not impressed.
India’s Sanju Samson is clean bowled by Pakistan’s Haris Rauf. — AFP
Pakistan needed a breakthrough, and Haris struck. Samson tried to play across but missed the ball completely and saw his stumps shattered on the fourth ball of the over.
Any hopes of a shift in momentum, however, were quickly snuffed out by Hardik Pandya’s nonchalant flick for four on the first ball he faced. Haris has bowled his quota of four; India need 19 off the last three overs.
Over 16 — India – 143/3
Abrar continues and nearly gets another Indian wicket!
Luck goes India’s way as a miscued shot from Samson lands perfectly between three fielders. Pakistan could’ve done with a wicket there but that’s how the game’s been for them. India need 27 runs from the last four overs to win. Is there a miracle in store for Pakistan?
Over 15 — India – 140/3
Salman turns to Shaheen to be the provider for his side, but Tilak Verma gets his first boundary.
India get eight runs off the over, now 32 runs away from winning — again.
Over 14 — India – 132/3
Faheem continues but another wicket proves elusive for Pakistan as the incoming Sanju Samson plays a delightful cover drive for four. India closing in on target with six runs coming off the over.
They need 40 runs off the last six overs. Pakistan need a wicket or two and needed it yesterday!
Over 13 — India – 123-3
Abrar strikes and gets rid of Abhishek! The Indian batter does not bother to look up as he walks off.
Abhishek seemed primed to finish the game single-handedly, but after welcoming Abrar with a six, he went for another and was caught by Haris. India is still on top, but Pakistan have more than a sniff.
Sanju Samson is the next man in for India.
Over 12 — India – 117-2
Faheem comes back in the attack and is immediately lifted down the ground for four by Abhishek. The India opener shows cuts away Faheem for another boundary three balls later. India get 11 off the over and Pakistan need to regain some inspiration.
Over 11 — India – 106-2
Indian skipper Suryakumar is at the crease. He looks tense.
Haris strikes as the Indian captain departs! Suryakumar top-edged that pacey Haris delivery down to third-man, where Abrar held his nerve.
The big-hitting Tilak Verma is the next man in for the Men in Blue.
Things get better for Pakistan. A fired-up Haris sends back Suryakumar. The right-armer’s pace proves to be the undoing for the India skipper, who gets a leading edge and is caught by Abrar on the boundary. Haris gives away just one run in the over. Pakistan getting back in the contest.
Over 10 — India – 101-1
There is a stoppage in play as Shubman was limping while running.
Faheem wrecks Shubman stumps! Pakistan draw first blood!
Overheard in the newsroom: Is this the start of the Indian collapse?!
Faheem was brought into the attack as Pakistan desperately sought a breakthrough and the right-armer found the perfect line with an inswinger to knock Gill’s off-stump. Suryakumar swings and misses first ball. The question is can Pakistan claw they way back?
Shubman’s off-stump goes for a walk as Faheem bowls him. — AFP
Over 9 — India – 101-0
A tidy over by Haris — just five off it — but India are cruising to the target.
Over 8 — India – 96-0
Saim continues and Gill excels with a reverse hit for four before Abhishek brings up his half-century with a four. Pakistan look bereft of ideas. 11 runs off the over and India closing in on 100 runs.
Over 7 — India – 83-0
Sahibzada returns the favour from the first innings by palming Abhishek over the boundary for six, what could have been a dismissal is another six!
Change of ends for Abrar, but it doesn’t work for Pakistan as Abhishek launches him into the stands on the second ball of the over. Luck also not going Pakistan’s way as Sahibzada helps another big hit from Abhishek over the fence. Runs keep coming for India — and fast. 16 off the over. India firmly in the driving seat.
Over 6 — India – 69-0
The power play has been completely dominated by the Indian batters after an early reprieve.
Saim is brought back into the attack but to no avail as Abhishek hits him down the ground for four and Gill cuts him away for another boundary two deliveries later and finishes it off with another. 14 runs off the over. India firmly on top and Pakistan seem to have no answer.
Over 5 — India – 50-0
The express pace of Haris is something that Indian batters seem to struggle against — let’s see if he can get the breakthrough for Pakistan.
Haris Rauf replaces Shaheen from the other end for the fifth over. Abhishek’s edge on the second ball flies away for four on the second ball and he has an exchange of words with Haris. It’s heated in the middle with both sets of players under pressure to deliver. India seem to be dealing with it better and Gill swats away Haris to finish the over. 12 off the over again.
Over 4 — India – 37-0
Mystery spinner Abrar into the attack.
Pakistan continue with spin from the other end as Abrar Ahmed replaces Saim. Abrar kept it tight on the first three balls but Abhishek then cut loose; pulling him for a four and a six. Another 12 runs come off the over. India are off to a fast start and Pakistan need to respond.
Over 3 — India – 31-0
2.3: Shaheen nearly had his man! Abhishek is dropped by Nawaz running back. It was a tough chance.
There were some words exchanged after Gill hit the boundary on the final ball of Shaheen’s over.
India’s Shubman Gill (L) looks at Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 21, 2025.
Could that Abhishek drop be a ‘what if’ moment for Pakistan? Gill powered him down the ground for four off the next ball and then finished the over with a slap for another boundary on the off-side. India get 12 off the over; a breakthrough becomes crucial for Pakistan.
Over 2 — India – 19-0
Saim — Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker in the tournament — made a tidy start but was then swept for four by Shubman Gill on the fourth ball, before being cut away for another on the next ball. India get 10 from the over. Pakistan need to make inroads.
Over 1 — India – 9-0
Shaheen bowls to Abhishek Sharma. This is the redemption arc we have been waiting for!
0.1: Shaheen bounces Sharma first ball, but he is up to the task and hits it for six off the very first ball.
Shaheen — the player of the match in Pakistan’s last outing, tightened things up with just three more runs coming in the over.
Mid-match analysis by Abyan Amir: The Indian bowlers had no answers to the Pakistani onslaught with the bat. The Men in Blue’s fielding was nervy and even worse with multiple dropped chances!
Pakistan made a mockery of both the Indian pacers and the spinners on a dry pitch that will get better as the match continues — India will be pinning their hopes on dew coming to rescue later in the innings after they had an ordinary day in the field.
Nearly all the Pakistani batters had a terrific day with the bat as India were under pressure from ball one with the start, Fakhar got — getting to their highest score batting first against India in men’s T20Is.
Fakhar’s controversial dismissal was a major talking point after the southpaw opener was given out by the third umpire, and visuals showed that there was definitely room for doubt — which usually goes in the batter’s favour.
This is shaping up to be the redemption bid for the Green Shirts that they needed — and deserved!
Over 20 — Pakistan – 171-5
19.2: Edged for four as India continue to have a bad day with the ball.
Pandya smashes the ball in the ground in frustation as Pakistan continue to pile up the runs!
The last ball of the innings is smacked by Faheem over cover for a tremendous six!
Pakistan needed to finish with a flourish, and Faheem’s top edge flew for four on the second ball off the last over by Pandya. The Indian all-rounder then gave away just three runs off the next three balls — one of them a wide — before Faheem ended it with a slash for six. Pakistan will feel they have a defendable total on the board.
Over 19 — Pakistan – 157-5
Bumrah is back into the attack after being smacked to all corners of the ground in his first spell!
Bowls a great yorker after starting the over with a wide.
Brain-fade moment for Nawaz as he gets run out in cavalier fashion.
Faheem treats Bumrah with scant regard as he launches that full toss for six over fine leg!
The day continues to get worse for India’s ace pacer.
Bumrah was taken apart by Pakistan in his first three overs but found his nagging line in the fourth.
Two searing yorkers were blocked by Nawaz at the start of the penultimate over. Nawaz then gets sloppy with his running to be dismissed. Good thing for Pakistan, though, is that the incoming Faheem wasted no time in getting off the mark and did that with a six off the first ball before being dropped by Gill in the deep.
11 runs off the over as India’s woes with the ball continue to get worse!
Over 18 — Pakistan – 147-4
Go Nawaz Go!
17.1: Nawaz launches Dube for six over wide long-on!
17 of that over!
Pakistan finally get a move on with Nawaz, at long last, nailing a big hit. The left-hander started the 18th over by Dube with a six and got two off the next ball. A slash off the third flew for four, and 17 runs came off the over.
Over 17 — Pakistan – 129-4
Skipper Salman launches Kuldeep straight down the ground for six over long-off!
The Men in Blue are clutching at straws right now
16.3: That ball clearly pitched outside leg —but the Indian skipper went up for a review, hoping against hope for some luck!
The boundary drought — lasting 39 — finally ended with Salman smashing Kuldeep for six down the ground. The spinner burned a review two balls later, trying to get the Pakistan skipper lbw. Salman tried for more big hits, but only succeeded in getting two more runs in the over.
Over 16 — Pakistan – 121-4
India keeping things tight. Nawaz fails to get Chakravarthy away, plays four dot balls. Just two runs coming off the over.
Over 15 — Pakistan – 119-4
Sahibzada departs after a valiant effort with the bat!
His dismissal shows that the ball is gripping in the wicket and cutters will be a useful ploy in the second innings.
India’s pressure pays off with Dube accounting for Sahibzada, who was looking to end the boundary drought and only managed to find to India skipper Suryakumar Yadav at mid-off after losing his bat.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha strides in and needs to give his side a move on. India seems happy giving away the singles as far as there are no boundaries — it’s now 33 balls since the last one.
