India restrict Pakistan at 146 all out
DUBAI: Pakistan could manage to put only 146 on board as their all wickets crumbled with five balls to spare against India in the Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
After scoring half-century, Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) was shown the exit in the 10th over as he attempted to hit another boundary off Varun Chakravarthy, after bludgeoning maximum on the previous ball.
Saim Ayub chipped in with 14 off 11 before being caught out off Kuldeep Yadav in the 13th over. Mohammad Haris was routed for duck in the next over by Axar Patel. Then, opener Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35) was dismissed by Varun.
Following that, the Indian bowlers ripped through the remaining Pakistani batting order as the wickets fell back to back. After Fakhar, the last six Men in Green batsmen managed just 20 runs.
Kuldeep took four scalps and Jasprit Bumrah, Varun and Axar took two wickets apiece.
India won the toss and elected to field first against Pakistan in the high-voltage Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.
Pakistan are fielding an unchanged side, sticking with the winning combination that carried them through the Super Fours.
Green Shirts skipper Salman Ali Agha expressed delightedness on being put to bat first. “We are very excited and looking forward to this game. We haven’t played a perfect game and hopefully we play one today. Same side. We have been playing on these pitches for a while and it will play the same,” he stated after the toss.
Harshit Rana, Arshadeep Singh and Hardik Pandya miss out in the Indian squad.
Pakistan Playing XI: Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
India Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy
Pakistan is gunning for revenge but an unbeaten India look firm favourites to retain the Asia Cup title today.
The Indian juggernaut has crushed every opposition on their path before swaggering into the final of the eight-team tournament looking every inch the reigning 20-over world champions.
Pakistan were swatted aside twice, first in the group stage and then in Super Fours, by an India team containing the world’s top-ranked batter and bowler in the T20 format in opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy.
Sparks flew and tempers frayed both times India and Pakistan met in what is their first tournament since a military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May. Pakistan will naturally be motivated to avoid a third defeat to the arch-rivals in a single tournament and will take heart from their narrow victory in Thursday’s virtual semi-final against Bangladesh. Web Desk
