India defeats Pakistan to claim ninth Asia Cup title

India defeated Pakistan by five wickets on Sunday to win the Asia Cup 2025 final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, claiming their ninth title in the tournament’s history.

Pakistan began their innings confidently, with Sahibzada Farhan scoring 57 and Fakhar Zaman contributing 46 runs. Their partnership put Pakistan at 113 for 1 in the 13th over, appearing poised to set a challenging total.

However, the innings then collapsed rapidly as Pakistan lost nine wickets for only 33 more runs in the remaining overs. Kuldeep Yadav stood out, taking four wickets for 30 runs.

He received key support from Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah, who shared five wickets between them.

India’s chase started with some early setbacks, but Tilak Varma became the backbone of the innings. He stayed unbeaten on 69 runs off 53 balls, anchoring the chase with calm and measured batting.

Shivam Dube played an important supporting role, scoring 33 runs off 22 balls. Together, Varma and Dube built a crucial partnership that shifted the momentum toward India.

Rinku Singh came in at a key moment and sealed the victory by hitting the winning runs with two balls remaining.

The turning point for India came when their bowlers dismantled Pakistan’s middle and lower order.

After the strong start by Pakistan’s openers, India’s attack removed the set batsmen quickly, preventing the total from reaching a more threatening level.

India’s lineup had an effective batting depth as the middle and lower order managed the chase with smart shot selection, keeping things in control.

The win adds to India’s success record in the Asia Cup, strengthening their position as the tournament’s most successful team.

India remained unbeaten against Pakistan throughout the 2025 Asia Cup, winning all three matches in this series.

The final on Sunday was proof of India’s ability to adapt and respond during different phases of the game, with contributions coming from various players when needed most.