In one of the most thrilling finals in Asia Cup history, India retained the title after a tense five-wicket win over Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The match went down to the final over, keeping fans and players on the edge of their seats.
Chasing 147, India faced a scare in the last over when Shivam Dube was dismissed. Pakistan seemed to have the momentum. However, the visitors were penalised for a slow over-rate, forcing them to bring an extra fielder inside the ring, an advantage India capitalised on.
Haris Rauf tried to bowl across left-hander Tilak Varma. Tilak, unfazed, waited for the right moment. On the second ball of the final over, he smashed a stunning 80-metre six, bringing the equation down to two runs needed from four balls.
Indian coach Gautam Gambhir celebrated wildly in the dressing room, banging table in pure excitement.
Very rare to see Gautam Gambhir like this pic.twitter.com/M7kVfpj61o
— Vipul (@vipuldhomane) September 28, 2025
Rinku Singh, playing his first match of the tournament, faced just one delivery and sealed the victory with a calm boundary through mid-wicket. The win marked India’s ninth Asia Cup title, extending their record in the tournament’s history. Gambhir celebrated on the field, hugging Tilak for his extraordinary finishing performance.
Earlier, India’s bowlers set the stage for the chase with an exceptional performance. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy troubled the Pakistani batters, with Kuldeep picking up four wickets. Jasprit Bumrah also contributed with two crucial wickets, restricting Pakistan to 146 in 19.1 overs.
India’s batting lineup, despite an early collapse to 20 for three, recovered brilliantly. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls, while Sanju Samson (24) and Shivam Dube (33 off 21 balls) provided vital support. Their composed and aggressive innings ensured that India chased down the target in 19.4 overs, thrilling fans and continuing their dominance in the Asia Cup.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
