India’s Tilak Varma receives the Player of the Match award and cheque during the Asia Cup 2025 final presentation ceremony (Photo: AFP)
On Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, September 28, India won against its arch-rivals Pakistan, thus securing Asia Cup 2025 for the ninth time in history and the most ever further extending its record.
India won the toss and opted to put Pakistan in to bat first then exerting immediate pressure on its batting unit. Pakistan’s openers got a good start with a 50-run partnership Sahibzada Farhan was ravaging away with a quick-fire 57 off 38 balls with five boundaries and three sixes and another 46 runs came briskly from Fakhar Zaman. After the initial explosion India took control with disciplined bowling and quickly dismantled Pakistan's middle and lower orders.
Kuldeep Yadav was the roll star, bowling excellently to return with figures of 4 for 30 with other bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel putting together six wickets and restricting Pakistan to a total of 146 off 19.1 overs.
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Pakistan's bowling momentarily placed some pressure on India's successful chase as the top order struggled to get runs. A resilient and match-winning knock of 69 runs from 53 balls adorned with three fours and four sixes, grounded the innings. Varma was awarded Player of the Match for a performance that played key in India’s comfortable chase.
Supporting Varma, Sanju Samson chipped in with 24 important runs while Shivam Dube contributed 33 valuable runs guiding India to a five-wicket victory. Pakistan's Faheem Ashraf excelled with the ball, recording excellent figures of 3 wickets for 29 runs.
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India finished the Asia Cup after three weeks of high-octane games played by eight teams, exhibiting fantastic skill and teamwork. This feat has given India a lot of momentum as the team gears up for the T20 World Cup.
| Award | Player | Prize Details |
| Player of the Match (Final) | Tilak Varma | USD 5,000 (INR 4 lakh) |
| Player of the Tournament | Abhishek Sharma | USD 15,000 (INR 13 lakh) & SUV |
| Most Valuable Player | Kuldeep Yadav | USD 15,000 (INR 13 lakh) |
| Most Runs | Abhishek Sharma | 314 runs in 7 innings |
| Most Wickets | Kuldeep Yadav | 17 wickets |
| Most Sixes | Abhishek Sharma | 19 sixes |
| Highest Individual Score | Pathum Nissanka | 107 runs vs India |
| Best Bowling Figures | Kuldeep Yadav | 4/7 vs UAE |
| Most Sixes in an Innings | Mohammad Nabi | 6 sixes vs Sri Lanka |
| Most Catches (Non-WK) | Saif Hassan | 5 catches |
| Most Dismissals (Wicketkeeper) | Sanju Samson | 6 catches and 1 stumping |
The post-match ceremony was delayed for well over an hour and much of it was due to the tensions between the two teams. The most evident sign of these political tensions was represented when the Indian team members refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council and president of the Pakistan Cricket Board. The awards distribution proceeded with players walking up to collect their awards.
India's impeccable run has made a high watermark in brilliance in strategy and individual's showings, reinstating her position in cricket as Asia's power.
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Disclaimer: Results and opinions in this article reflect the match events and official awards. All details are based on publicly available information.
