By AP LIVE 24.com | Dubai, Sep 29, 2025
India defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets in a nail-biting Asia Cup 2025 Final at Dubai on Tuesday night, extending their dominance in multi-nation T20 tournaments. Chasing 147, India held their nerve despite an early collapse, with Tilak Varma’s match-winning half-century guiding them to glory.
🏆 India’s Ninth Asia Cup Title
With this victory, India claimed their record-extending ninth Asia Cup crown (seven ODIs and two T20Is). They remain unbeaten in the tournament and extended their winning streak to 17 matches in multi-nation T20 events since 2023.
📊 Match Summary
- Pakistan: 146 all out (19.1 overs)
- India: 150/5 (19.4 overs)
- Result: India won by 5 wickets
- Player of the Match: Tilak Varma
- Player of the Series: Abhishek Sharma
🌟 Tilak Varma – The Hero of the Final
India’s chase got off to a shaky start at 20/3, but Tilak Varma showed nerves of steel. He steadied the innings with Sanju Samson (50+ stand) before forming another crucial partnership with Shivam Dube. Varma’s calm yet aggressive batting, capped with a towering six off Haris Rauf in the final over, turned the game in India’s favor.
“One of the most special knocks of my life. This is for all the Indians,” said Tilak Varma after receiving the Player of the Match award.
🗣️ Reactions from the Captains
Salman Agha (Pakistan Captain): “We bowled really well but couldn’t finish with the bat. Proud of the effort, but we’ll come back stronger.”
Suryakumar Yadav (India Captain): Although India decided against a formal post-match presentation, SKY’s on-field celebrations with his team reflected the passion and unity of this young Indian side.
🔥 Key Turning Points
- Farhan & Fakhar’s 84-run opening stand gave Pakistan a strong start.
- Kuldeep Yadav (4/30) and Varun Chakaravarthy turned the game with spin, sparking a collapse of 9 wickets for 33 runs.
- India stumbled early with Gill, Abhishek, and SKY dismissed cheaply.
- Samson & Tilak’s partnership revived the chase.
- Dube’s cameo and Rinku’s winning boundary sealed the title.
📌 Historic Stats
- India have now beaten Pakistan in all nine T20Is while chasing.
- This was India’s fourth Asia Cup title in the last five editions.
- Tilak Varma averages 92.50 in successful T20I chases.
🇮🇳 India Set the Benchmark Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
This win once again highlights India’s depth, resilience, and bench strength. Even without Hardik Pandya, the squad displayed balance and composure, proving why they are favorites to defend the T20 World Cup in 2026.
📢 Final Word
India’s Asia Cup 2025 triumph was more than just another title—it was a statement of intent. With young stars like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Rinku Singh rising to the occasion, India’s future in T20 cricket looks brighter than ever.
