Asia Cup 2025: Yadav, spinners script India victory against Pakistan
- By Web Desk -
- Sep 14, 2025
It was an easy day at the office for India as they comprehensively defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in their second group match of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
Chasing a modest target of 128 runs, captain Suryakumar Yadav held his nerve following an early burst from Abhishek Sharma to see India through the winning line.
They chased the target in 15.5 overs with the captain leading from the front with an unbeaten 47 off 37. He was well supported by Sharma and Tilak Varma, who scored 31 each for India at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. India scored 131-3.
For Pakistan, Saim Ayub took all three wickets in the game. He ended up with the figures of 3 for 35 from his four overs.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting line-up crumbled against a clinical Indian attack, managing just 127 for 9 in 20 overs after electing to bat.
The tone was set early when Hardik Pandya struck with his very first delivery, bowling Saim Ayub for a duck. Jasprit Bumrah then piled on the pressure by removing Mohammad Haris for just 3, leaving Pakistan reeling in the powerplay.
Sahibzada Farhan provided some resistance, playing positively for his 40 off 44 balls, but his dismissal to Kuldeep Yadav triggered a collapse. The left-arm wrist-spinner was the standout, weaving through the middle order. He removed Farhan before striking twice in two balls, dismissing Hasan Nawaz for 5 and trapping Mohammad Nawaz lbw for a golden duck.
Axar Patel also made a telling impact, striking in quick succession. He accounted for Fakhar Zaman (17) and then had skipper Salman Ali Agha (3 off 12) caught in the deep by Abhishek Sharma, leaving Pakistan without answers against India’s spin choke.
Varun Chakravarthy added to Pakistan’s misery by removing Faheem Ashraf for 11, ensuring the middle order never recovered.
It was only thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late cameo that Pakistan managed to post a semi-respectable total. The left-arm pacer smashed an unbeaten 33 off 16 deliveries, including four towering sixes. Sufiyan Muqeem chipped in with 10 but was bowled by Bumrah, who returned strongly at the death.
India’s bowlers worked in tandem – Hardik and Bumrah’s early strikes cut the head off Pakistan’s batting, before Kuldeep and Axar tightened the noose in the middle overs. With the spinners combining for five wickets, Pakistan never built any real momentum.
At the halfway stage, Pakistan’s 127 looks below par, and India will back themselves to chase it down comfortably unless Pakistan’s bowlers produce something extraordinary.
Updates
End of Match
India won by seven wickets.
Out!!!
Third wicket for Saim Ayub, as he bowled Tilak Varma for 31 with a stunning delivery.
India 97-3 after 12.2 overs.
Out!!
Saim Ayub strikes again as he removes dangerous-looking Abhishek Sharma, who raced to 31 off just 13 balls.
India 41-2 after 3.4 overs.
Out!!
Saim Ayub strikes for Pakistan as he removes Shubman Gill (10).
India 22-1 after 2 overs
Innings break!!
Pakistan 127-9 after 20 overs
OUT!!!
Second wicket of Jasprit Bumrah as he bowled Sufiyan Muqeem 10.
Pakistan 111-9 after 19 overs
OUT!!!
Varun Chakravarthy joins the party as he removes Faheem Ashraf (11).
Pakistan 97-8 after 17.4 overs
OUT!!!
Kuldeep strikes again as he removes set batter Sahibzada Farhan, who scored 40.
Pakistan 83-7 after 16.1 overs
ON A HAT-TRICK!!!
Back-to-back wickets for Kuldeep. Now he sends Mohammad Nawaz packing.
Pakistan 64-6 after 12.5 overs.
OUT!!!
Kuldeep Yadav removes Hasan Nawaz, who walks back after scoring just five.
Pakistan 64-5 after 12.4 overs.
Since the end of Powerplay, Pakistan have scored just seven runs and lost two wickets. We are not going to win too many matches with this performance #CricketTwitter #PAKvIND #PakVsInd #INDvsPAK #AsiaCup2025
— Azeem Siddiqui (@aze3msiddiqui) September 14, 2025
OUT!!!
Axar Patel strikes again as he removes Pakistan Captain Salman Ali Agha, who walks back after scoring just 3 off 12 deliveries.
Pakistan 49-4 after 10 overs.
Review!!
Big lbw appeal. Given, Agha reviews but that looked out. Got hit on the left edge of the front pad, right on the knee-roll. The turn that beat the bat, according to Hawk-Eye, would also take it down leg. Second successful review for Pakistan.
Farhan has hit two sixes off Bumrah and still somehow had a struggle of an innings
— Danyal Rasool (@Danny61000) September 14, 2025
OUT!!!
Fakhar falls cheaply as he tried to charge Axar Patel straight down the ground. He departs after scoring just 17 off 15.
Pakistan 45-3 after 7.4 overs
End of power play!
Pakistan 42-2 after 6 overs:
Fakhar Zaman 16* and Sahibzada Farhan 19
Jasprit Bumrah 3-16-1
Hardik Pandya 2-18-1
Farhaaannnn you beauty!!! #AsiaCup2025
— Mir Hamza (@mirhamza_k) September 14, 2025
Sahibzada Farhan is the first ever Pakistan batter to hit Jasprit Bumrah for a SIX in international cricket. It has happened after 400 balls!
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 14, 2025
Review!!
Big appeal for lbw, given. Fakhar reviews right away. Yorker just in front of the crease. The bowl pitched down leg. He survives…
OUT!!!
Jasprit Bumrah strikes in his first over as well, as he sends Mohammad Haris back to the dugout.
Pakistan 5-2 after 1.2 overs
FACT: Pakistan have never beaten India batting first in T20Is.
Played: 06
Lost: 06 #CricketTwitter #PakVsInd #INDvsPAK— Azeem Siddiqui (@aze3msiddiqui) September 14, 2025
OUT!!!
What a start by India and Hardik Pandya as he dismissed Sami Ayub for a golden duck.
Pakistan 1-1 after 0.1 overs
National anthems of both teams are being played.
The Men in Green are going into the high-voltage clash with the winning combination and so as India.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said that the team has been playing good cricket and notes that the surface looks on the slower side.
“We want to put a par-plus total. Same team and he insists they need a lot of spin on these conditions,” Agha added.
Suryakumar Yadav wanted to bowl so he’s not fussed. He adds that the preparations for the game were good, which is important for him. He adds that they played on the adjacent pitch in the previous match (against UAE) and it was good for batting, got better under lights. India are playing the same team as well
Teams:
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Abrar Ahmed.