DUBAI – India clinched a commanding six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 Super Four encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, thanks to Abhishek Sharma’s blistering half-century.
Chasing 172, India sealed the win with four wickets in hand and seven balls to spare. The foundation of India’s chase was laid by openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, who shared a dazzling 105-run stand inside 10 overs. Gill contributed a brisk 47 off 28 deliveries, striking eight boundaries, before falling to Faheem Ashraf. Soon after, Suryakumar Yadav was removed for a duck by Haris Rauf, while Abrar Ahmed dismissed the dominant Abhishek for a sparkling 74 off 39 balls, laced with six fours and five towering sixes.
At 123/3 in 12.2 overs, India briefly stumbled, but Tilak Varma (30 not out off 19) and Sanju Samson steadied the innings with a cautious stand. Samson departed for 13, undone again by Haris, yet Hardik Pandya (7 not out) joined Varma to guide India comfortably over the line. For Pakistan, Haris Rauf was the standout bowler with 2/26 in four overs, while Faheem Ashraf and Abrar Ahmed claimed one wicket each. Earlier, Pakistan posted 171/5 after being put into bat. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman added 21 before the latter was controversially adjudged out to Hardik Pandya. Fakhar made 15 from just nine balls. Farhan then carried the innings, compiling 58 off 45 with five fours and three sixes.
He shared partnerships of 72 with Saim Ayub (21) and 17 with Hussain Talat (10), before Shivam Dube dismissed both in quick succession. Late contributions came from Mohammad Nawaz (21 off 19) and Faheem Ashraf, who hammered an unbeaten 20 off just eight balls. Skipper Salman Ali Agha chipped in with 17 not out. India’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Shivam Dube bagging 2/27, while Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya claimed one wicket apiece. In the post-match press conference, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha admitted that his side is still searching for a “perfect game,” conceding that India’s explosive batting in the powerplay tilted the contest away from them. Reflecting on Pakistan’s innings, he felt the team could have added 15 more runs after reaching 91 in the first 10 overs, but maintained that a total of 171 was still competitive.
Explaining his bowling choices, Salman said his strategy was based on the “right bowler at the right time,” and praised the efforts of Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf for their disciplined spells. Looking ahead, he emphasized that the focus now shifts to their upcoming Super Four clash against Sri Lanka, where Pakistan will aim to bounce back strongly.
Scores in Brief
INDIA 172/4 in 18.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 74, Shubman Gill 47, Tilak Varma 30*; Haris Rauf 2/26) beat PAKISTAN 171/5 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 58, M Nawaz 21, Faheem Ashraf 20*; Shivam Dube 2/27) 6 wickets.
