India romped to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory in their high-intensity encounter against Pakistan in the men\u2019s Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The match had been coloured from the start by calls from across the border to \u2018boycott\u2019 the fixture. It seems the pressure got to the players as well, with the Indian team refusing to shake hands, as is customary, at the toss and after the match.<\/p>\n
Then, at the post-match ceremony, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav seemingly \u2018politicised\u2019 the victory by bringing up the Pahalgham terrorist attack in India-occupied Kashmir, over which the two countries fought a four-day military conflict in May, saying the victory was \u201ca perfect gift\u201d for his country.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe stand with the victim\u2019s families of the Pahalgam terror attack, and we express our solidarity, and we want to dedicate today\u2019s win to the armed forces,\u201d the Indian skipper said.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Yadav said: \u201cOur government and the BCCI were aligned. We took a call and came here just to play the game and gave them (Pakistan) a proper reply.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha was not present at the post-match ceremony.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson explained that the reason the Pakistani captain was absent from the ceremony was because of the Indian team\u2019s \u201cdisappointing\u201d conduct at the end of the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a follow-on effect of the fact that we were obviously keen to engage and shake hands at the end of the match, but that obviously didn\u2019t happen,\u201d Hesson said.<\/p>\n
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed to Dawn.com that Pakistan team manager Naveed Akram Cheema, \u201cregistered a protest against the Indian team\u2019s inappropriate behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cManager Cheema has also registered a formal protest against the match referee\u2019s behaviour as well for requesting the captains not to shake hands during the toss,\u201d the PCB said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, it was a clinical performance by the Men in Blue after the Indian spinners ruled the roost in the first innings and Pakistan stumbled to 127-9 thanks to an excellent cameo by Shaheen Afridi down the order.<\/p>\n
The pick of the bowlers for India was Kuldeep Yadav, who ended with figures of 3-19 as the Indian spinners never let the Pakistani batters settle.<\/p>\n
He was ably supported by the left-arm spin of Patel and pacer Bumrah on a pitch that did not have any demons throughout the match.<\/p>\n
Live coverage ends:
\nIndia\u2019s reply:
\nOver 16 \u2014 Ind – 131-3
\n15.3: The umpire\u2019s call comes to the rescue of Yadav after Sufyan had trapped the Indian skipper lbw.<\/p>\n
Yadav hits the ball for six, and that\u2019s all folks for this Pakistan-India encounter as the Men in Blue gallop home by 7 wickets with ease.<\/p>\n
Over 15 \u2014 Ind – 123-3
\nYadav looking to finish things off quickly as he lifts Saim for four. Dube ends the over with a massive six and it looks likely Saim will finish as Pakistan\u2019s most successful bowler with figures of 3-35 off four overs. India need five more to win.<\/p>\n
Over 14 \u2014 Ind – 110-3
\n13.4: The Indian skipper Yadav cuts Nawaz for four in a statement of authority!<\/p>\n
Frustration for Pakistan on the second ball as Yadav flashes, but the ball falls short of point and goes for four. The India skipper adds to the misery by cutting Nawaz for four past the same fielder two balls later. Pakistan seem to have no answer.<\/p>\n
Over 13 \u2014 Ind – 100-3
\nThe man with the golden arm strikes again!<\/p>\n
Saim has knocked over Verma with one that gripped and spun.<\/p>\n
Shivam Dube walks in. India need 28 runs more off the last seven overs as their hundred comes up.<\/p>\n
Over 12 \u2014 Ind – 97-2
\nYadav gets to his highest score against Pakistan in a T20I and then survives a review for lbw. India getting closer to the target as Nawaz floored a return off Varma.<\/p>\n
Over 11 \u2014 Ind – 93-2
\nAbrar once again tight but to no avail as Verma and Yadav bring up their 50-run partnership. India are five runs closer to victory.<\/p>\n
Where\u2019s a miracle when you need one?<\/p>\n
Mid-innings analysis by Umaid Wasim: Pakistan need a miracle. India are coasting in the chase, there is no run-rate pressure, and Pakistan are having difficulty in exerting spells of sustained pressure. The Green Shirts need quick wickets if they are to have any chance.<\/p>\n
Over 10 \u2014 Ind – 88-2
\n9.1: Verma launches Sufyan for six!<\/p>\n
Sufyan brought in as Salman tried to stymie India with spin, but Yadav lifted him over fine leg for four \u2014 his first boundary. Pakistan need a breakthrough and needed it yesterday!<\/p>\n
Over 9 \u2014 Ind – 74-2
\nThree singles off the over as Abrar keeps Verma quiet.<\/p>\n
Over 8 \u2014 Ind – 71-2
\nSufyan brought in as Salman tried to stymie India with spin, but Yadav lifted him over fine leg for four \u2014 his first boundary. Pakistan need a breakthrough, and quick.<\/p>\n
Over 7 \u2014 Ind – 64-2
\nAbrar looks the likeliest spinner so far to trouble India, although Sufyan is yet to bowl. Gives away just three runs in the over.<\/p>\n
Over 6 \u2014 Ind – 61-2
\nVerma welcomed Nawaz with a reverse sweep for four and then got another on the third ball.<\/p>\n
India is eating into Pakistan\u2019s total. Required rate dips below five as the powerplay ends with Men in Blue at 61.<\/p>\n
Over 5 \u2014 Ind – 48-2
\nAbrar has a loud shout for lbw against Yadav turned down. India failed to get a boundary in the over, just six runs coming off it.<\/p>\n
Over 4 \u2014 Ind – 42-2
\n3.4: Saim has struck again!<\/p>\n
Just when Abhishek Sharma looked like becoming a thorn in Pakistan\u2019s ambitions of getting wickets and stopping the run flow, Saim struck. It was a case of one too many for the left-handed. Having hit back-to-back fours off Saim, he went for another and was caught at long-off.<\/p>\n
Tilak Verma now at the crease. Only eight runs off the over. Saim looks keen to turn it around for Pakistan with the ball.<\/p>\n
Over 3 \u2014 Ind – 33-1
\nSharma v Shaheen again, and the Indian opener gets a four first-ball, slashing a wider delivery, and before hitting a monstrous six two balls later.<\/p>\n
Suryakumar Yadav makes a quiet start. He comes into this match with a patchy record against Pakistan.<\/p>\n
Over 2 \u2014 Ind – 22-1
\nSaim Ayub is into the attack; let\u2019s hope he can emulate what the Indian spinners did in the first innings.<\/p>\n
1.6: Saim has struck with his carrom ball yet again!<\/p>\n
Pakistan is attacking with spin from the get-go, with Saim bowling the second over. Shubman Gill hits him for consecutive fours, but it\u2019s one too many as he is stumped off the last ball. Pakistan have the wicket they wanted!<\/p>\n
Over 1 \u2014 Ind – 12-0
\n0.1: Newbie Abhishek Sharma welcomes Shaheen Afridi with a boundary off the very first ball of the over.<\/p>\n
India get off to a flier. Sharma smashed the first ball back past Shaheen for four and deposited the second ball for six over long-off.<\/p>\n
Mid-match summary by Abyan Amir: The Indian spinners ruled the roost as Pakistan stumbled past 120 thanks to an excellent cameo by Shaheen Afridi down the order.<\/p>\n
The pick of the bowlers for India was Kuldeep Yadav, who ended with figures of 3-19 as the Indian spinners never let the Pakistani batters settle.<\/p>\n
He was ably supported by the left-arm spin of Patel and pacer Bumrah on a pitch that did not have any demons in the first innings.<\/p>\n
The Green Shirts have something to defend on board, courtesy of four sixes by Shaheen to end the innings.<\/p>\n
India will have to contend with Pakistan\u2019s spin trio of Abrar, Sufyan and Nawaz<\/p>\n
Will this be an Afridi cameo to remember, or will India gallop home easily? Only time will tell!<\/p>\n
Over 20 \u2014 Pak – 127-9
\nHuge six by Shaheen off Pandya over long-on!<\/p>\n
The next one is even bigger! It\u2019s in the second tier as Pandya can only scratch his head.<\/p>\n
Shaheen closed the Pakistan innings by smashing Pandya for consecutive sixes to take Pakistan over 120 and bring some cheer to the team\u2019s supporters.<\/p>\n
Pakistan have something to defend.<\/p>\n
Over 19 \u2014 Pak – 110-8
\nHundred up for Pakistan!<\/p>\n
Sufyan got back-to-back fours off Bumrah to start the over \u2014 the first a punch down the ground and the second an upper-cut. Bumrah got back by cleaning up his stumps on the last ball. Pakistan are nine runs away from 120.<\/p>\n
Over 18 \u2014 Pak – 99-8
\n17.2: Shaheen smacks another six over long-off off Chakravarthy!<\/p>\n
Pakistan suffered another blow when Faheem fell lbw two deliveries later. Shaheen keeps strike for the next over.<\/p>\n
Over 17 \u2014 Pak – 90-7
\n16.1: Final hope Sahibzada\u2019s attempt to accelerate brings about his downfall, hitting Kuldeep down Panya\u2019s throat, after a patchy 44-ball 40.<\/p>\n
16.3: Shaheen smacks Yadav for a huge six over wide long-on!<\/p>\n
55 dot-balls in the Pakistan innings so far<\/p>\n
With three overs to go, Pakistan risk falling short of even a run-a-ball total!<\/p>\n
Over 16 \u2014 Pak – 83-6
\nFive runs off the over as India keep things tight. Pakistan need to push on with just four overs left<\/p>\n
Over 15 \u2014 Pak – 78-6
\n14.3 Calls of shot in the newsroom as Pakistan\u2019s only hope at the moment, Sahibzada pulls Yadav for a single.<\/p>\n
Faheem finished the over with a four, but runs continue to be hard to come by for Pakistan.<\/p>\n
Over 14 \u2014 Pak – 72-6
\nUmpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge\u2019s day is going as badly as the Pakistani batters.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s given two howlers, both were missing the stumps by miles.<\/p>\n
Sahibzada saw a lbw decision overturned on review and finished the over with a four.<\/p>\n
Over 13 \u2014 Pak – 64-6
\n12.4: Hassan Nawaz departs cheaply!<\/p>\n
12.5: Mohammad Nawaz is gone first ball!<\/p>\n
India will probably feel they can bowl Pakistan out in quick time. Kuldeep has once again tormented Pakistan. Two wickets in two balls \u2014 first Hasan Nawaz caught and then Mohammad Nawaz lbw. Sahibzada has been in from the start and now has all-rounder Faheem Ashraf for support. They are Pakistan\u2019s last recognised batting pair.<\/p>\n
Over 12 \u2014 Pak – 62-4
\nSahibzada broke the shackles and launched the first ball down the ground for six. But two dot balls followed before Pakistan got two more singles. Runs are coming slowly for Pakistan.<\/p>\n
Over 11 \u2014 Pak – 54-4
\nSingles off the first four balls in Abhishek Sharma\u2019s first over, another off the last ball.<\/p>\n
50 up for Pakistan in the 11th over of the innings.<\/p>\n
Mid-innings analysis: In the four overs after the powerplay, Pakistan have only got seven runs whilst losing two wickets.<\/p>\n
If Fakhar\u2019s departure wasn\u2019t enough, Salman never got going and in an attempt to get quick runs, fell to Patel, who now has two wickets.<\/p>\n
Pakistan have to hit out of the spin trap if they are to post a match-saving total. Up to Hasan Nawaz to provide the impetus.<\/p>\n
Over 10 \u2014 Pak – 49-4
\nPatel back into the attack as Salman cuts him.<\/p>\n
It gets worse for Pakistan. Skipper Salman is caught in the deep.<\/p>\n
Salman tried to hit out of the pressure, and only succeeded in getting a top edge off Patel. Pakistan are struggling.<\/p>\n
Over 9 \u2014 Pak – 47-3
\n8.2: Salman was adjudged lbw second ball off the over as Chakravarthy changed ends, but Pakistan breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was overturned on review.<\/p>\n
Chakravarthy continued bowling a nagging line to Salman with just two runs coming off the over.<\/p>\n
Over 8 \u2014 Pak – 45-3
\n7.4: Fakhar is gone!<\/p>\n
Axar Patel was brought on into the attack and got the big wicket of Fakhar Zaman off the fourth ball he bowled. Fakhar tried to hit him out of the park, but could only find Tilak Verma running in from long-on.<\/p>\n
The onus is now on captain Salman Ali Agha to stabilise the innings.<\/p>\n
Over 7 \u2014 Pak – 43-2
\nOnly two runs off the over as India\u2019s left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav comes into the attack. Pakistan have to start accelerating.<\/p>\n
Over 6 \u2014 Pak – 42-2
\nSahibzada went after Bumrah and swatted him away for six into the stands!<\/p>\n
Got two runs after a miscue on the very next ball. Pakistan will be thankful they are just two down at the end of the powerplay, especially after the start they got off to.<\/p>\n
Over 5 \u2014 Pak – 34-2
\nIndia brings on their first spinner \u2014 Varun Chakravarthy<\/p>\n
4.3: Fakhar slots Chakravarthy for four down the ground<\/p>\n
India brought spin to the attack in the shape of Chakravarthy but Sahibzada and Fakhar seem to have now settled down. Fakhar hit him down the ground for four as Pakistan\u2019s rebuild continues.<\/p>\n
Over 4 \u2014 Pak – 26-2
\n3.3: Sahibzada smacks Bumrah over wide long-on for a six!<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s first six of the innings comes in the 4th over. The early inning jitters are now gone.<\/p>\n
Another good over with no losses as Sahibzada and Fakhar look to rebuild Pakistan\u2019s innings. Bumrah bowled two good balls to open the over before Sahibzada smashed him for six over long-on. Those were the the only runs in the over but crucially, Pakistan have not lost another wicket.<\/p>\n
Over 3 \u2014 Pak – 20-2
\nPandya is pulled away for a single by Fakhar.<\/p>\n
2.3: Pakistan get their first boundary courtesy a pull by Fakhar.<\/p>\n
Good over for Pakistan. Two singles came off the first two balls before Fakhar pulled a short one from Pandya for four \u2014 Pakistan\u2019s first boundary. Fakhar got another with a drive through the legside off the fifth ball while three runs came from wides.<\/p>\n
Over 2 \u2014 Pak – 7-2
\n1.2: Haris gets a top edge and Bumrah strikes. Pandya catches, running in from fine leg.<\/p>\n
Pakistan have got off to the worst possible start. India have their tails up. Haris was the standout in the side\u2019s tournament-opener against Oman but now he departs.<\/p>\n
1.4: It gets worse for Pakistan. Fakhar has been adjudged lbw. The left-hander immediately reviewed<\/p>\n
Pakistan get a reprieve, the review shows ball pitching outside leg.<\/p>\n
Bumrah bowls a splendid first over with some searing yorkers. Gets the dangerman Haris and also had Fakhar, only for it to be overturned on review.<\/p>\n
Over 1 – Pak 5-1
\nIndia\u2019s Hardik Pandya starts off with a wide down the legside.<\/p>\n
Saim Ayub falls on the very first ball of the match.<\/p>\n
Saim Ayub\u2019s troubles with the bat continue. He was also out first ball against Oman.<\/p>\n
Mohammad Haris is off the mark on the first ball and Sahibzada also gets off the mark on the first ball.<\/p>\n
Haris flashes and misses on the next ball. He blocks the penultimate ball off the over.<\/p>\n
He hits out on the next ball and gets two.<\/p>\n
Anthems
\nThe Pakistani national anthem is being played first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.<\/p>\n
The Indian anthem is being played next.<\/p>\n
Pakistan openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan make their way to the crease.<\/p>\n
Analysis by Dawn\u2019s Umaid Wasim: Pakistan wanted to bat first and set an above-par total. India wanted to bowl first. Both sides will be quite happy with the outcome of the toss. Pakistan, though, face a trial by spin. The pitch is the same as the one for India\u2019s opening match against the UAE. India skipper Suyakumar Yadav said at the toss that batting got easier in the second stanza of the UAE game, and perhaps that is why he wanted his side to be batting second.<\/p>\n
An India-Pakistan cricket match is always a blockbuster, but emotions will run even higher in today\u2019s Asia Cup clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who engaged in a four-day military conflict earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Even before the clashes in May, which nearly escalated into a full-blown war, bilateral cricket ties had been suspended. The arch-rivals now play each other only in multi-team tournaments.<\/p>\n
Political relations have deteriorated further since the clashes, with several former Indian players urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India to boycott what will be the first meeting between the teams since the recent hostilities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
India romped to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory in their high-intensity encounter against Pakistan in the men\u2019s Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai on Sunday. The match had been coloured from the start by calls from across the border to \u2018boycott\u2019 the fixture. It seems the pressure got to the players as well, with the Indian team […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11950"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11952,"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11950\/revisions\/11952"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weeklyyoung.pk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}