Gargi Raut in Dubai
The 2025 Asia Cup final promises to be a high-octane game, with India and Pakistan meeting in the summit clash for the first time in the 41 years of the tournament’s existence.
The day started with the news that the Pakistan Cricket Board, only hours ahead of the final, is raising a complaint against Arshdeep Singh’s gesture after the second encounter between the two countries. Later, reports started flowing that Mohsin Naqvi, ACC President and PCB Chief had a briefing with the Pakistan team players where he reportedly said “Do whatever you want, I will handle it”; sending the tension between the two countries through the roof.
India won the toss and chose to bowl, but unfortunately, were forced to sit out Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder had gone off field after bowling just one over in the last game. Pandya was replaced by Rinku Singh in the playing XI. Shivam Dube, in the absence of Pandya shouldered the responsibility of opening with the new ball. In his first two overs Dube bowled with an economy rate of 6.00. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah was expensive, bowling with an economy of 9.00.
By the end of the power play, the Pakistani batters had racked up 45 runs on the scoreboard with a run rate of 7.50. Kuldeep Yadav was immediately brought on in the seventh over after India failed to pick any wickets in the first six. Sahibzada Farhan soon brought up his half-century in the ninth over, scoring 50 0ff 35 at a strike rate of 142.86.
The first breakthrough for India came after a long while. Farhan, off a delivery from Varun Chakravarthy, tried to hit over deep mid-wicket but handed a catch to Tilak Varma manning the station.
A horses for courses approach saw Tilak being handed the ball in the 12th over. But the breakthrough came from the other end in the very next over. Kuldeep, after giving away 23 runs in the first two overs, finally got a wicket when Saim Ayub, in an attempt to play a cut, handed a catch to Bumrah. It was Axar Patel’s turn to strike next, who scalped the wicket of Mohammad Haris for a duck in the 14th over. Chakravarthy struck again in the 15th over, sending set batter Fakhar Zaman 46 (35) walking. Zaman fell to his ploy of bowling wide and lofted one up for Kuldeep to catch at backward point.
Axar took his second wicket in the 16th over, Hussain Talat hoicked it up in the air and it landed in the safe hands of India’s wicketkeeper. With only six more overs left in the innings, Pakistan only had 131 runs on the scoreboard.
In the first delivery of the 16th over, Kuldeep struck for the second time in the game. Skipper Salman Agha danced down the track but sent the shot straight in the air. Sanju Samson covered some distance to take a diving catch. He picked his third after Shaheen Afridi mistimed a sweep shot and was ruled LBW by the third umpire. Only a delivery later, Kuldeep struck again as Faheem Ashraf sent one to Tilak stationed at long-off.
Subsequently, Bumrah did what he does best. With a picture perfect off stump yorker he sent Haris Rauf’s off stump flying in the 18th over. Bumrah cleaned up Pakistan’s tail with his second wicket in the innings.
Kuldeep ended the innings with a heroic second spell, from 23 runs in his first two overs to plucking three wickets in the 17th over, the spinner changed the course of the game. Pakistan ended up putting 146 runs on the scoreboard. Will India make an easy chase of the target?