Asia Cup 2025: India Crush Pakistan by Seven Wickets; Kuldeep, Axar, Suryakumar Star

India registered a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in a marquee Group A clash of the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The win marked India’s second consecutive triumph in the tournament and boosted their net run rate.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav celebrated his 35th birthday in style, scoring an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls, guiding India to a comfortable chase of 128. Left-hand batters Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma also contributed briskly with 31 runs each, setting the stage for India’s dominance. Despite the tense cricketing backdrop and heightened diplomatic tensions earlier this year, Suryakumar and Shivam Dube (10 not out) walked off after the match without exchanging handshakes with the opposition.

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India’s spin-heavy strategy proved decisive yet again. Kuldeep Yadav led the bowling attack with figures of 3-18, while Axar Patel contributed 2-18. Varun Chakaravarthy also chipped in with 1-24, exploiting the sluggish Dubai pitch to perfection. Pakistan struggled for momentum throughout their innings, with only Sahibzada Farhan (40) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (33 not out off 16 balls) offering resistance.

Chasing 128, India got off to a strong start. Abhishek Sharma unleashed a flurry of boundaries, hitting Shaheen Shah Afridi and Saim Ayub for fours and sixes. Tilak Varma maintained the tempo with elegant shots and a massive 98-meter six. Suryakumar Yadav kept the innings steady, punishing the spinners with precise boundaries and finishing the chase in style with a towering six off Muqeem Khan.

Earlier, India’s bowlers set the tone. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah struck early, reducing Pakistan to 41/2 in the powerplay. Kuldeep Yadav’s clever variations dismantled the middle order, while Axar Patel and Chakaravarthy kept the pressure constant. Despite a late flourish from Shaheen Shah Afridi and Muqeem, Pakistan could only manage 127/9 in 20 overs.

Brief Scores:

• Pakistan: 127/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 40, Shaheen Shah Afridi 33*; Kuldeep Yadav 3-18, Axar Patel 2-18)
• India: 131/3 in 15.5 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 47*, Abhishek Sharma 31) — India won by 7 wickets

India’s comprehensive win highlighted their superior all-round performance and reinforced their status as strong contenders in the Asia Cup.