India vs Pakistan – Asia Cup 2025 Match Highlights

Match Summary

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Date: September 21, 2025
Tournament: Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 – Super Four Stage
Result: India won by 6 wickets (7 balls remaining)
Player of the Match: Abhishek Sharma (India) – 74 off 39 balls

Pakistan: 171/5 (20 overs)
India: 174/4 (18.5 overs)

Pakistan Innings: A Tale of Promise and Collapse

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first on what appeared to be a good batting surface in Dubai. The decision seemed vindicated early on as they raced to their best powerplay performance against India, reaching 55/1 in the first six overs.

Strong Start Despite Early Setback

Fakhar Zaman got Pakistan off to a flier after Hardik Pandya removed Saim Ayub, who was promoted up the order but fell for a golden duck. Fakhar and Sahibzada Farhan then provided the foundation with an aggressive approach that put pressure on India’s bowling attack.

The partnership between Farhan and Fakhar was crucial in the early stages. Pakistan raced away to their best powerplay against India, scoring 55 for 1. Even Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled three overs in the powerplay for the third consecutive match, had an expensive spell, registering his costliest T20I powerplay: 34 runs.

Middle Overs Revival

Coming into this match, the only teams in this Asia Cup slower than Pakistan in the middle overs were Oman and UAE. Pakistan had gone at under a run a ball, but this time they managed to hit three four sixes in overs 8-10, off Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel.

Sahibzada Farhan was the architect of Pakistan’s innings, playing with maturity and aggression when needed. The fourth six brought up Farhan’s half-century, and at that moment, Pakistan looked set for a formidable total.

The Collapse

However, Pakistan’s momentum stalled dramatically in the final 10 overs. Having done the hard work, Pakistan slumped. The slide began against Shivam Dube, whose progress as a sixth bowler through this tournament will satisfy India immensely.

Dube’s bowling proved to be the turning point. Dube didn’t provide the batters any pace, stayed away from their swinging arc, and took out both Ayub and Farhan after they had put on 72 for the second wicket.

The spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav then applied the stranglehold. Despite some tight bowling by Varun Chakaravarthy (4-0-25-0) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/31), Pakistan managed to post 171, largely thanks to late cameos from Salman Agha (17*) and Faheem Ashraf (20* off 8 balls).

Key Pakistan Performances:

• Sahibzada Farhan: 58 off 45 balls
• Faheem Ashraf: 20* off 8 balls
• Salman Agha: 17* not out

India Bowling Figures:

• Shivam Dube: 2/33
• Varun Chakravarthy: 0/25 (4 overs)
• Kuldeep Yadav: 1/31
• Jasprit Bumrah: 0/50 (expensive day)

India’s Chase: Explosive Start Sets the Tone

Chasing 172, India needed a strong start, and they got exactly that from their explosive opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.

Record-Breaking Powerplay

It began looking even lighter when Abhishek hooked the first ball of the chase for a six. That shot off Shaheen Shah Afridi set the tone for what would become a masterclass in aggressive batting.

Gill and Abhishek laced the bowling, making full use of the new ball and whatever pace Shaheen Shah Afridi provided them. India’s 69 for 0 was the best powerplay of this Asia Cup, and India’s best against Pakistan.

The opening partnership was destructive and calculated. Abhishek kept clearing the infield while Gill kept finding the gaps, and their understanding was evident as they navigated through some heated moments with Pakistan’s fast bowlers.

Verbal Exchanges and Momentum

The match wasn’t without its tense moments. All the while they made sure they stood together whenever a confrontation threatened to materialise. It eventually came to a head with Abhishek and Rauf in each other’s face after Gill pulled the latter for a four.

These verbal exchanges seemed to fuel rather than hinder India’s progress. The foundation of the chase was laid by a blistering opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, who tore into Pakistan’s bowlers from the outset.

Partnership Breakdown

Abhishek and Gill added 105 for the first wicket in just 59 balls, putting India in complete control of the chase. The partnership finally ended when Ashraf provided Pakistan the breakthrough with a ball that seamed in to bowl Gill immediately after he had taken treatment for cramps.

Gill’s dismissal for 47 off 28 balls brought Suryakumar Yadav to the crease, but the captain fell for a duck, giving Pakistan a glimmer of hope.

Abhishek’s Continued Assault

Despite losing partners, Abhishek kept striking the ball cleanly, taking down Abrar Ahmed, potentially Pakistan’s most threatening bowler. His dominance against spin was particularly impressive, as he took him for 32 off 12 balls including four sixes.

Finishing the Job

India experienced a brief slowdown similar to Pakistan’s as Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma struggled to come to terms with the old ball not coming onto the bat. Samson managed just 13 off 17, but Tilak saw India through with sixes off Rauf and Afridi in the 18th and 19th overs.

Key India Performances:

• Abhishek Sharma: 74 off 39 balls (6 fours, 5 sixes)
• Shubman Gill: 47 off 28 balls (8 fours)
• Tilak Varma: 30* not out
• Opening partnership: 105 runs in 59 balls

Pakistan Bowling Figures:

• Haris Rauf: 2/26
• Faheem Ashraf: 1 wicket
• Abrar Ahmed: 1 wicket (expensive – 32 runs off 12 balls to Abhishek)

Match Turning Points

1. Shivam Dube’s Double Strike: The all-rounder’s dismissal of both Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan in the middle overs derailed Pakistan’s innings momentum.
2. Abhishek’s Opening Ball Six: The audacious hook shot off Shaheen Afridi’s first delivery set the tone for India’s aggressive chase.
3. 105-Run Opening Stand: The partnership between Abhishek and Gill effectively sealed the match, reducing the required rate to manageable levels.

Statistical Highlights

• 171 was the highest total Pakistan have ever posted batting first against India
• Abhishek Sharma scored the quickest fifty by an India batter against Pakistan in men’s T20Is
• India go 8-0 in T20I chases versus Pakistan
• This was India’s second victory over Pakistan in eight days, following their group stage win

Post-Match Reactions

Abhishek Sharma (Player of the Match): He says about his high strike rate, “today it was very simple, the way they were coming at us for no reason, I didn’t like it at all and this is the only way I could give medicine to them.”

Salman Agha (Pakistan Captain): Pakistan are yet to play the perfect game and admits India’s batters took the game away in the powerplay. He says they could have got 15 more runs after being 91 in 10 overs but adds that 171 was still a good total.

Tournament Implications

After Bangladesh’s win over Sri Lanka, India also started the second round with a comfortable win. This would put pressure on Sri Lanka and Pakistan, who will have to win their remaining two matches to stand a chance of making it to the final of the Asia Cup 2025.

India’s dominant performance puts them in pole position to reach the final, while Pakistan must regroup quickly for their remaining Super Four fixtures. The comprehensive nature of this victory – India’s second over Pakistan in the tournament – underlines the gulf in class between the two sides in current T20 cricket.

Final Thoughts

This was a clinical performance from India that showcased their batting depth and bowling variety. While Pakistan posted their highest total against India in T20Is, it was never enough against an Indian lineup firing on all cylinders. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive innings will be remembered as one of the standout performances of the tournament, setting up what could be India’s path to the Asia Cup title.