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India (150/5) defeat Pakistan (146) by 5 wickets in thrilling encounter to clinch Asia Cup 2025 title

Which team will win the title of Asia Cup 2025?

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    63
  • Poll closed .
In a gripping finale at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India edged past Pakistan by five wickets with just two balls to spare, successfully chasing a modest target of 147 to win the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025.

Pakistan, finishing as runners-up for the fourth time in tournament history and second time in the T20I format, put up a spirited fight. Their innings was anchored by an 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman — the second-highest partnership for Pakistan against India in T20Is, trailing only the unbeaten 152-run stand by Babar Azam and Fakhar in 2021 at the same venue.

Farhan notched his fifth T20I fifty (second against India) off 35 balls before falling in the 10th over. Fakhar added a solid 46 off 35 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes, before being dismissed in the 15th over with the score at 126-4. Kuldeep Yadav turned the tide with a triple strike in the 17th over, helping restrict Pakistan to 146 all out in 19.1 overs. Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two wickets apiece.

In response, India’s chase began shakily. Pakistan struck early, reducing India to 20-3 within the first four overs. Faheem Ashraf removed openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, while Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Suryakumar Yadav.

Tilak Varma then steadied the innings, crafting a composed unbeaten half-century. He partnered with Sanju Samson for a 57-run stand off 50 balls, taking India to 58-3 at the halfway mark. Abrar Ahmed broke the partnership in the 13th over, dismissing Samson for 24.

With 70 needed off 46 balls, Shivam Dube joined Tilak at the crease. Despite tight bowling from Shaheen in the 17th over, the duo added 60 runs off 40 balls for the fifth wicket. Faheem returned to dismiss Dube and conceded just seven runs in the penultimate over, leaving Haris Rauf to defend 10 off the last.

India held their nerve, sealing the win with two balls to spare. Faheem Ashraf finished with impressive figures of 3-29, while Shaheen and Abrar claimed one wicket each.

Kuldeep’s four-wicket haul and Tilak’s unbeaten knock proved decisive as India lifted the Asia Cup trophy after a thrilling contest.
 
Pakistan's Batting so bad that we forget that bowling too is very flawed. In past Pakistan was able to win matches just thru great bowling but those days are over. For example Haris Rauf he leaks runs and takes few wickets. We need strike bowlers who can build pressure by taking wickets. All Haris has is pace which is not enough. Haris Rauf is a great bowler on Australian & South African pitches (he would do well in South African Odi World cup 2027) but we need wicket takers like Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad etc. Khurram Shahzad has emerged as a genuine Wicket taker in tests, why not play him in T20s. Haris Rauf is Wahab Riaz 2.0 who bowls fast but then gets spanked all over the ground. Fix the Batting, fix the bowling and find a captain who is an automatic selection not like Agha who barely qualifies (Agha didn't play a single significant innings in the tournament??)
 
cricketAXEpert said:
Pakistan's Batting so bad that we forget that bowling too is very flawed. In past Pakistan was able to win matches just thru great bowling but those days are over. For example Haris Rauf he leaks runs and takes few wickets. We need strike bowlers who can build pressure by taking wickets. All Haris has is pace which is not enough. Haris Rauf is a great bowler on Australian & South African pitches (he would do well in South African Odi World cup 2027) but we need wicket takers like Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad etc. Khurram Shahzad has emerged as a genuine Wicket taker in tests, why not play him in T20s. Haris Rauf is Wahab Riaz 2.0 who bowls fast but then gets spanked all over the ground. Fix the Batting, fix the bowling and find a captain who is an automatic selection not like Agha who barely qualifies (Agha didn't play a single significant innings in the tournament??)
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Apart from Haris Rauf, everybody else bowled well.

I think bowling is good currently. Just have to replace Rauf.
 
Pakistan failed to play its full 20 overs. They were bowled out in 19.1 overs. Which means they did not utilize those 5 deliveries which could have been crucial for them.
One of Pakistan’s middle order players should have shouldered the responsibility. We can clearly see how Indian middle order took on the burden of scoring when top order failed. Tilak, Samson and Dube played brilliantly by absorbing all the pressure. Pakistan does not have such players.

The gulf between the teams is clearly there to be seen. One playing like a team on a mission and the other hoping that some miracle would happen. Pakistan bowling has also regressed. A few years ago, Pak had the bowling to defend smallish totals. Now that strength has also deserted them.

I feel teams like BD, Lanka, Afg and Pak are very close interns of talent and ability. They all have one thing in common. The lack of killer instinct.
 
Nikhil_cric said:
SKY hasn't been SKY since 2024. There are at least 3-4 guys ready to take his spot - Jaiswal, Sai, Parag, Iyer
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The kind of game he used to play, it's been on the cards

That's why a properly functioning batting technique is so important, even in T20 cricket
 
MP2011 said:
The kind of game he used to play, it's been on the cards

That's why a properly functioning batting technique is so important, even in T20 cricket
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Yeah. T20 only specialists seem to have shorter lifespans

Ideally, you need guys with a higher ceiling but also the temperament and skill for at least the ODI format so that they can negotiate tougher batting wickets.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
@Red-Indian the thread we discussed Farhan before got deleted.

He can bat man. Just needs to learn how to take singles.
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Yes I had a good look this time. He definitely has the shots. As far as I could see, he's not the fully modern T20 opener i.e. the likes of Head and Abhisek who are looking at pretty much every ball as an opportunity to hit but does have the aggressive attitude.

Can be a good serviceable opener if he puts in more effort and gains confidence. Needs to get his strike rate into the 140s at least.
 
rickroll said:
I keep saying this time and again, Indians are not mentally strong when facing an uphill situation. It is so easy to show strength when things are in your favor but real strength comes when chips are against you.

Pakistan despite our poor economy is always punching above its weight. I cannot see India ever doing that. As a culture, physically, and mentally Indians are weaker than an average Pakistani. PPers need to realize this. Put Indians under pressure and they will collapse. Their entire bravado comes out only during positions of strength but not otherwise.
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Paragraph upon paragraph for a minnow which got smashed thrice in two weeks

But bhai jaan mentally physically straaang :dw
 
sweep_shot said:
Apart from Haris Rauf, everybody else bowled well.

I think bowling is good currently. Just have to replace Rauf.
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No, it is not. There are so many better bowlers Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Zaman Khan. Faheem did good (today) but we have better bowlers. Hasan Ali, Faheem & Haris Rauf are 2nd string bowlers.
 
Last time we lost a game of T20 was back in January 2025, 28th January to be precise.

This is simply unheard of consistency especially in a format as fickle as T20.
 
The 5 match T20I series in Australia next month will be a mouth watering contest. Australia have big hitters(Maxwell-David-Owen) in the middle overs plus Head-Marsh at the top. Hope Australia play their strongest team in atleast 3 matches against the Asian + World Champions.
 
AZulfi said:
View attachment 158321
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I maintain no fast bowler gets smacked for as many sixes as Rauf.

Batsmen know that he will give you hittable deliveries every over. Pace without intelligence means nothing. Lacks accuracy and strategy.

Time and again we make the same mistake by bowling him in crunch overs.

After he got smacked for 17 runs in his second over, stupid captaincy by Agha to bowl Rauf’s full quota.

Those two overs could have been bowled by Saim and Nawaz (conceded 6 runs in his only over)
 
harshjoshi87 said:
The 5 match T20I series in Australia next month will be a mouth watering contest. Australia have big hitters(Maxwell-David-Owen) in the middle overs plus Head-Marsh at the top. Hope Australia play their strongest team in atleast 3 matches against the Asian + World Champions.
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Yes, this young Indian team should win t20 series against Aussies, earlier Indian teams won back to back t20 series against Aussies
 
Here’s the Asia Cup 2025 complete awards list, including top scorers, wicket-takers, and prize money details.

India Clinch Record Ninth Title​


Led by young stars and experienced campaigners, India beat Pakistan in the final with a comfortable chase of 147 runs. Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 off 53 balls earned him the Player of the Match award, sealing the title in style.

  • Champions: India (₹21 crore prize money)
  • Runners-up: Pakistan (₹66 lakh prize money)

Tilak Varma – Player of the Match (Final)​


Tilak Varma rose to the occasion in the high-pressure final. His match-winning knock of 69 runs not out earned him the Player of the Match award along with USD 5000 (₹4 lakh) in prize money.

Abhishek Sharma – Player of the Tournament​


One of India’s brightest young talents, Abhishek Sharma dominated with the bat, scoring 314 runs across seven innings. His consistency and aggressive batting earned him the Player of the Tournament award, along with USD 15,000 (₹13 lakh) and a brand-new SUV.

Abhishek also smashed 19 sixes, finishing as the tournament’s leading six-hitter.

Kuldeep Yadav – Most Valuable Player​


India’s spin magician Kuldeep Yadav was the star with the ball, taking 17 wickets and registering the best bowling figures (4/7 vs UAE) in the tournament. His match-winning spells earned him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Shivam Dube – Game Changer of the Final​


In addition to Varma’s heroics, Shivam Dube’s quick 33 runs and steady presence played a crucial role in India’s chase. He was named the Game Changer of the Final, further cementing his role in India’s T20 setup ahead of the World Cup.

Pathum Nissanka – Highest Individual Score​


Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka lit up the group stages, smashing a brilliant 107 off 58 balls against India. It was the highest individual score of Asia Cup 2025, proving once again his class as a T20 batter.

Mohammad Nabi – Most Sixes in an Innings​


Afghanistan’s veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi thrilled fans with his power-hitting, smashing six sixes in a single innings—the most by any batter in Asia Cup 2025.

Prize Money Breakdown – Champions & Runners-Up​


The tournament also highlighted the growing financial rewards in Asian cricket.

  • India (Champions): ₹21 crore
  • Pakistan (Runners-up): ₹66 lakh
  • Player of the Tournament (Abhishek Sharma): USD 15,000 + SUV
  • Player of the Match (Final – Tilak Varma): USD 5000
 
Well yes Pakistan middle order
Was pretty ordinary and that cost the match but all isn't lost as far as pak cricket is concerned.problem is playing too many allrounders and none of them qualify as genuine allrounder.consistency is missing and there is no genuine striker down the order.just a better squad selection would have made Pakistan even stevens with India.Babar Azam in middle order is alone better than half the team.In next T20 series some simple changes need to be done and with world cup next year then give this pool consistent run.
My squad in batting order shall be
1)Farhan
2)Fakhar
3)Saim
4)Babar
5)Agha salman
6)Abdul samad
7)Rohail Nazir
8)Shaheen
9)Haris Rauf
10)Ali Raza
11)Abrar
Then remaining squad will then be
12)sufiyan muqeem
13)Naseem shah
14) Irfan
15)Abbas Afridi
16)Haider Ali
17)M.Nawaz
 
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