India Defeats Pakistan by Five Wickets in Asia Cup Final
Tilak Varma’s heroics and a superb bowling comeback guide India to glory over Pakistan in a historic final.
India’s dominance in the 2025 Asia Cup reached its pinnacle as they edged past Pakistan by five wickets in the final at Dubai’s International Cricket Stadium.
Chasing a modest target of 147, India stumbled early—three wickets gone for just 20 runs—but regained control through a crucial 57-run alliance between Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson. When Samson fell, Varma joined forces with Shivam Dube to steady the ship and inch India closer to victory.
Defending a total of 146, India’s bowlers staged a dramatic turnaround after Pakistan’s flying start. Kuldeep Yadav was unplayable, claiming four wickets, while Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel chipped in with two apiece.
Pakistan’s batting line crumbled as the middle order failed to hold up under pressure, and the innings folded in the 19th over.
In a tense finish, India needed 10 off the last over. Varma struck a six to swing momentum, and Rinku Singh sealed the deal with a boundary, clinching the title with two balls to spare.
The win marks India’s retention of the Asia Cup and underlines their trophy credentials against their fiercest rival. With this, India remain unbeaten in the tournament, while Pakistan’s superb early start went unrewarded in a final that pivots on one team’s composure and one team’s collapse.