Dubai: India registered a dominant seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the sixth match of the Asia Cup, chasing down a modest target of 128 runs in just 16 overs. Pakistan, after winning the toss at the Dubai International Stadium, elected to bat first but could only manage 127 runs for the loss of nine wickets.
Notably, after the match Indian players did not shake hands with the Pakistani side, and even at the toss, captain Suryakumar Yadav refrained from a handshake with rival skipper Salman Ali Agha.
India’s bowlers set the tone early, keeping Pakistan under constant pressure from the powerplay onwards. Sahibzada Farhan (40) and Shaheen Afridi (33) were the only notable contributors for Pakistan, as the rest of the batting lineup faltered. Kuldeep Yadav was the standout performer with three wickets, supported by Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel with two each, while Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakaravarthy claimed one apiece.
During the chase, India’s openers Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma provided steady starts, scoring 31 runs each. Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with an unbeaten 47, anchoring the innings and forming a decisive 56-run stand with Tilak for the third wicket. Pakistan’s Saim Ayub was the lone successful bowler, taking all three wickets.
With this result, India maintained their position at the top of Group A, boosting their chances of qualifying for the Super Four. Pakistan, on the other hand, now face a must-win situation against the UAE to keep their campaign alive.
