Dubai,September 15(HS): India registered a resounding seven‑wicket victory over Pakistan in a high‑voltage Asia Cup 2025 Group A match in Dubai on Sunday. While the Men in Blue dominated proceedings on the field, the contest was overshadowed by political undertones, with no handshakes exchanged between the two sides before or after the game.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav anchored India’s chase with an unbeaten 47 off 37 deliveries as India overhauled Pakistan’s modest 128‑run target in just 15.5 overs. Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) dismantled Pakistan’s batting order, restricting them to 127/9 from their 20 overs despite late resistance from Sahibzada Farhan (40) and Shaheen Afridi (33* off 16).
Post‑match, Suryakumar dedicated the triumph to India’s armed forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. “There are moments when solidarity transcends sporting courtesies,” he said, defending India’s decision to avoid handshakes as one coordinated with the BCCI and the Indian government. “We stand with the victims of Pahalgam, their families, and salute the bravery of our forces.”
The Pakistan camp expressed disappointment, with coach Mike Hesson calling the snub “a setback to the spirit of the game.” Skipper Salman Agha even skipped the formal presentation ceremony. The PCB later confirmed lodging a formal protest with match referee Andy Pycroft over the handshake issue.
This was the first India–Pakistan meeting since cross‑border hostilities escalated following the Pahalgam attack in April, with strong calls for boycotting the contest earlier. India’s victory not only ensured their progression to the Super Four but also signaled a firm political and sporting message.
Scorecard
Pakistan: 127/9 in 20 oversSahibzada Farhan 40 (44), Shaheen Afridi 33* (16)Kuldeep Yadav 3/18, Axar Patel 2/18, Jasprit Bumrah 2/28
India: 131/3 in 15.5 oversSuryakumar Yadav 47* (37), Abhishek Sharma 31 (13), Tilak Varma 31 (31)Saim Ayub 3/35
India won by 7 wickets (25 balls remaining)
Playing XIs
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
Pakistan: Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
