Sports Desk
It was an easy day at the office for India as they comprehensively defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in their second group match of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
Chasing a modest target of 128 runs, captain Suryakumar Yadav held his nerve following an early burst from Abhishek Sharma to see India through the winning line.
They chased the target in 15.5 overs with the captain leading from the front with an unbeaten 47 off 37. He was well supported by Sharma and Tilak Varma, who scored 31 each for India at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. India scored 131-3.
For Pakistan, Saim Ayub took all three wickets in the game. He ended up with the figures of 3 for 35 from his four overs.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting line-up crumbled against a clinical Indian attack, managing just 127 for 9 in 20 overs after electing to bat.
The tone was set early when Hardik Pandya struck with his very first delivery, bowling Saim Ayub for a duck. Jasprit Bumrah then piled on the pressure by removing Mohammad Haris for just 3, leaving Pakistan reeling in the powerplay.
Sahibzada Farhan provided some resistance, playing positively for his 40 off 44 balls, but his dismissal to Kuldeep Yadav triggered a collapse. The left-arm wrist-spinner was the standout, weaving through the middle order. He removed Farhan before striking twice in two balls, dismissing Hasan Nawaz for 5 and trapping Mohammad Nawaz lbw for a golden duck.
Axar Patel also made a telling impact, striking in quick succession. He accounted for Fakhar Zaman (17) and then had skipper Salman Ali Agha (3 off 12) caught in the deep by Abhishek Sharma, leaving Pakistan without answers against India’s spin choke.
Varun Chakravarthy added to Pakistan’s misery by removing Faheem Ashraf for 11, ensuring the middle order never recovered.
It was only thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late cameo that Pakistan managed to post a semi-respectable total. The left-arm pacer smashed an unbeaten 33 off 16 deliveries, including four towering sixes. Sufiyan Muqeem chipped in with 10 but was bowled by Bumrah, who returned strongly at the death.
India’s bowlers worked in tandem – Hardik and Bumrah’s early strikes cut the head off Pakistan’s batting, before Kuldeep and Axar tightened the noose in the middle overs. With the spinners combining for five wickets, Pakistan never built any real momentum.
At the halfway stage, Pakistan’s 127 looks below par, and India will back themselves to chase it down comfortably unless Pakistan’s bowlers produce something extraordinary.
