India sealed their ninth Asia Cup title in a thriller as Tilak Varma’s 69 not out and Rinku Singh’s death blow propelled them to a five-wicket win over Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The Men in Blue, remaining unbeaten in the tournament, staged a comeback of a lifetime to claim victory with two balls remaining and script a memorable victory.
Kuldeep Yadav Turns the Game on Its Head
Pakistan seemed very much in command at 113/1 before Kuldeep Yadav turned the game on its head. The guileful left-arm wrist-spinner bowled a match-winning 17th over, claiming three wickets as Pakistan collapsed in dramatic fashion. Having been in command, they lost their remaining nine wickets for only 33 runs to slump to 146 in 19.1 overs.
Kuldeep’s 4/30 spell was ably complemented by Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy, who took four wickets between them. Jasprit Bumrah’s blazing comeback over, which sent Haris Rauf’s off stump flying, sealed Pakistan’s downfall and presented India with a chaseable target.
Tilak Varma’s Calm Masterclass Under Pressure
India’s response started on a wobbly note as Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill all got out within the first five overs. At 20/3, Pakistan smelled victory, but Tilak Varma remained resolute. The left-hand batter produced a mature knock, balancing caution with planned aggression.
Varma sewed together crucial associations β 57 with Sanju Samson and 60 with Shivam Dube β to get India back in the game. His 69*-off 47-ball knock contained three fours and four sixes, with vital boundaries at the right junctures to keep the chase going.
Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson Change Momentum
Sanju Samson contributed a pacey 24, with a lovely cover drive against Shaheen Shah Afridi, before getting out attempting to push the scoring. Dube later came together with Varma, attacking Abrar Ahmed with a six, and then smashed big shots against Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf. His 33-run cameo was crucial as India inched towards the goal.
Rinku Singh Seals the Trophy in Style
With four runs required from three balls, Rinku Singh came forward and hit a rising shot over mid-on for four, and wild celebrations erupted in the Indian camp. The whole team came on to the field as Dubai went berserk.
Rinku ne laga diya ek aur πππ ππππππππππ winning shot π
India are the champions of Asia π
Watch #DPWORLDASIACUP2025 β on #SonyLIV & #SonySportsNetwork TV Channels πΊ#AsiaCup #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/roiXkF1iqg
β Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) September 28, 2025
