In the sixth match of the DP World Asia Cup 2025, defending champions India thrashed Pakistan by seven wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan won the toss and asked India to bowl first. The bowling unit for the Men in Blue was excellent, demonstrating variation and discipline. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya made vital breakthroughs at the start. Bumrah’s precision and variations kept the run rate under control, while Hardik dismissed Saim Ayub with the opening ball to set the tone. The spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy dominated the middle overs. However, India faltered in the final six overs, as Pakistan scored 47 runs owing to Shaheen Afridi‘s cameo, which included four sixes.
Chasing 128, India’s openers got off to a quick start, batting aggressively. Abhishek Sharma (31) straightaway started with a four and a six, that too against Afridi, which must have broken all Pakistan fans’ hopes. However, after a while, Shubman Gill (10) and Abhishek both fell while attempting to increase the scoring rate. Tilak Varma too scored 31 runs off 32 deliveries. The true standout, however, was Suryakumar Yadav, who led from the front with an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls, anchoring the batting and punishing loose deliveries. Shivam Dube (10) also helped him towards the end. Skipper Surya concluded the game with a six, chasing down the target in 15.5 overs.
The Green Army’s innings never got going after a terrible start. The top order crumbled quickly, with Mohammad Haris and Salman Agha failing to make an impression. The middle order also failed to stabilise, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Only Shaheen Afridi’s spectacular cameo of 33* off 16 balls drove Pakistan to a more manageable total of 127/9 in 20 overs.
Bumrah (2/28) and Pandya (1/34) bowled with pace and control, hitting at key moments. The spinners were particularly successful, with Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) strangling Pakistan’s middle order, preventing them from rotating attack or finding boundaries. Varun Chakaravarthy also contributed a critical wicket while keeping a tight economy of 6.00. Overall, the Indian bowlers kept to their strategy and took advantage of Pakistan’s poor shot selection and lack of partnerships.
For Pakistan, Saim Ayub picked up all 3 wickets, while the other frontline bowlers failed to create pressure.
With this victory, India have made it two out of two in the competition. More importantly, Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir dedicated the win to the Indian Armed Forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, recognising their effort and expressing support during a tough time.
Scorecard:
Pakistan: 127/9, Overs 20, Sahibzada Farhan 40, Kuldeep Yadav 3/18
India: 131/3, Overs 15.5, Suryakumar Yadav 47*, Saim Ayub 3/35
