Dubai, Sept 28: Team India lifted their ninth Asia Cup title with a thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final on Sunday, thanks to a sensational unbeaten knock from Tilak Varma (69 not out off 53 balls) and a dominant bowling performance led by Kuldeep Yadav (4/30).
Chasing 147, India was in early trouble at 20/3 inside five overs as Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill fell cheaply. But Tilak Varma held his nerve, stitching crucial partnerships with Sanju Samson (24) and Shivam Dube (33) to stabilize the chase. With 10 runs needed in the final over, Tilak smashed Haris Rauf into the stands before Rinku Singh sealed the victory with a boundary, sparking celebrations among Indian fans.
Earlier, Pakistan looked strong at 113/1 with Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46) anchoring the innings. However, Kuldeep Yadav, backed by Varun Chakravarthy (2/30) and Axar Patel (2/26), engineered a dramatic collapse, reducing Pakistan from 113/1 to 146 all out. Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two late wickets as India restricted the rivals in 19.1 overs.
This victory not only marked India’s continued dominance over Pakistan in white-ball cricket but also showcased the team’s fearless approach under captain Suryakumar Yadav and mentor Gautam Gambhir.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan: 146 all out in 19.1 overs (Farhan 57, Zaman 46; Kuldeep 4/30)
India: 150/5 in 19.4 overs (Tilak Varma 69*, Shivam Dube 33; Rauf 0/50)