There were lost catches, careless fielding, flaming tempers, pointless run-outs, and questionable dismissals in the Asia Cup Super Fours match between bitter rivals India and Pakistan.
However, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday, India defeated Pakistan by six wickets after outperforming them in every aspect of the game.
Thanks to the explosive start given by their gun openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, India managed to chase down the 172-run total with seven balls to spare.
Leading the India run chase, Abhishek Sharma hit Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi for a six on the opening ball of the innings in typical fashion.
With four sixes and four fours, Abhishek sped to a fifty off twenty-four balls, making it the second-fastest half-century in India-Pakistan Twenty20 Internationals.
With a 50-run partnership in just 4.4 overs and a raging 100-run partnership off just 52 balls, the Indian opening duo sent the Pakistani bowlers on a leather hunt. Abhishek and Gill’s 100+ wicket stand is the first for any team in the 2025 Asia Cup.
However, Gill experienced cramps after 9.5 overs and 105 runs were scored. The physio arrived to treat him, and a drinks break was also taken. That might have disrupted Gill’s rhythm, as he was clean bowled through the gate on the very next delivery by Faheem Ashraf with a cross-seam in-cutter. Gill hit eight fours in his 28-ball 47.
Haris Rauf struck a big blow by dismissing Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav for a duck. Attempting his trademark flick over fine leg, Suryakumar got a leading edge instead, sending the ball towards third man where Abrar Ahmed completed the catch.
The Indian captain has been removed the most times in T20Is by Haris Rauf, who continued his stellar record against SKY by removing him for the third time in three innings.
Abhishek Sharma was in full flow and appeared poised to take India to a commanding win when disaster struck. After launching Abrar Ahmed for a massive 91-metre six over wide long-on, he hesitated on a wide delivery outside off stump, miscuing it off the toe-end. The ball flew towards long-on, where Haris Rauf ran in to complete the catch.
With six fours and five sixes, the Indian opener scored 74 runs off 39 balls.
Sanju Samson (13) put on 25 runs for the fourth wicket with Tilak Varma before attempting a cross-batted stroke against Haris Rauf, only to miss and be bowled.
With a 92-meter six against Shaheen Afridi over long-off and a flick to the backward square-leg fence for a boundary, Tilak Varma (30) and Hardik Pandya (7) led India to victory.
Earlier, after being asked to bat first by Suryakumar Yadav, who maintained the “no-handshake” posture at the toss, India’s careless fielding performance—which saw them drop up to four catches—allowed Pakistan to reach 171/5 in their 20 overs.
Saim Ayub, who has more wickets than runs in this competition with three consecutive ducks, was replaced by Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan, changing Pakistan’s opening lineup.
Abhishek Sharma dropped Sahibzada Farhan at third man on the third ball of the Pakistani innings, marking India’s first drop.
India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah gave away 11 runs in his opening over, with Fakhar Zaman striking him for two consecutive fours. The real drama, however, came in the next over when Hardik Pandya induced an edge from Zaman, taken low by wicketkeeper Sanju Samson (15). Zaman stood his ground as the decision went upstairs, but replays indicated Samson had managed to get his fingers under the ball just in time.
Sahibzada Farhan capitalized on the dropped catch to top-score for Pakistan, blasting 58 off 45 balls, including 3 sixes and 5 fours.
Shivam Dube was India’s most economical bowler, finishing with 2 wickets for 33 runs in his four overs. However, Pakistan clawed back some momentum in the final three overs, scoring 42 runs and reducing the deficit.
Sahibzada Farhan was in devastating form, spearheading the assault against Jasprit Bumrah, who went for 34 runs in his first three overs as Pakistan raced to 91 in the powerplay.
Farhan and Saim Ayub had a partnership of 72 for the second wicket. Nevertheless, the Pakistani innings stalled when Dube was given the ball.
Following the halfway point, Pakistan scored more than six overs without scoring a boundary thanks to the outstanding work of Dube and Varun Chakaravarthy.
