DUBAI, Sept 21: India maintained its unbeaten run in the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup, clinching a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in a Super Fours match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Abhishek Sharma smashed a scintillating 74 off 39 balls, while Shubman Gill contributed a brisk 47 off 28 deliveries to help India chase down 172 in just 18.5 overs—marking India’s highest successful T20I chase against Pakistan.
Pakistan, batting first, posted 171/5 in 20 overs, with Sahibzada Farhan top-scoring with 58 and Faheem Ashraf hitting an unbeaten 20 off eight balls. After a strong start at 91/1 in the first 10 overs, Pakistan lost momentum due to tight spin bowling from Shivam Dube, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav, who restricted the opposition to just 38 runs between overs 11 and 17.
India’s chase got off to a flying start as Abhishek launched Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first delivery over fine leg for six, while Gill complemented him with crisp boundaries, forming a 105-run opening stand. Despite brief setbacks with wickets of Gill and Abhishek, Tilak Varma (30) and Hardik Pandya* guided India to a comfortable finish with seven balls to spare.
Pakistan’s innings saw early aggression from Farhan and Saim Ayub, but smart bowling and fielding lapses eventually cost them. Abhishek’s explosive hitting, combined with Gill’s calculated strokeplay, proved decisive, as India overtook the target with ease.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan: 171/5 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 58, Saim Ayub 21; Shivam Dube 2-33, Hardik Pandya 1-29)
India: 174/4 in 18.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 74, Shubman Gill 47; Haris Rauf 2-26, Faheem Ashraf 1-31)
Result: India won by six wickets