Asia Cup 2025: India decimate Pakistan by 7 wickets

Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 37-ball 47, Abhishek Sharma’s fiery 13-ball 31 and Kuldeep Yadav’s (3-18) have powered India to seven-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the 6th match of the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Suryakumar sweep past India by clubbing a six off Sufiyan Muqeem. India completed equation with 25 balls remaining.

India's innings

16th Over

Suryakumar Yadav completed the equation in the 16th over of Muqeem.

15th Over

Saim Ayub conceded 13 runs in the 15th over.

14th Over

Mohammad Nawaz conceded 10 runs in the 14th over.

13th Over

Saim Ayub conceded three runs and bagged a wicket of Tilak Varma on 28-ball 30.

12th Over

Mohammad Nawaz conceded four runs in the 12th over.

11th Over

Abrar Ahmed conceded five runs.

10th Over

Sufiyan Muqeem Muqeem conceded 14 runs.

9th Over

Abrar Ahmed has conceded three runs.

8th Over

Sufiyan Muqeem has conceded seven runs.

7th Over

Abrar Ahmed conceded three runs in the seventh over.

6th Over

Mohammad Nawaz bowled the sixth over and conceded 13 runs.

5th Over

Abrar Ahmed bowled a tidy over and conceded only five runs.

4th Over

Saim Ayub has removed Abhishek Sharma on 13-ball 31. Sharma left the crease after providing India with the good start. He clubbed four boundaries and two towering sixes. Ayub conceded nine runs.

3rd Over

Abhishek Sharma has continued to treat Shaheen Afridi with utter contempt. India plundered 11 runs of the third over.

2nd Over

Saim Ayub removed Shubman Gill on 5-ball 12, after the latter clubbed the off-spinner for two back-to-back boundaries.

1st Over

Abhishek Sharma has started off the proceedings with the boundary off the first bowl of Shaheen Shah Afridi. The boundary followed by sixer. But Shaheen ended over, conceding 12 runs.

Pakistan's Innings

20th Over

In the 20th over, the first ball was missed. Shaheen Afridi then struck two sixes on the second and third deliveries. The fourth ball was missed, while doubles were scored on both the fifth and sixth deliveries.

19th Over

The 19th over began with a no-ball, yielding two runs. Boundaries were scored on the first and second legal deliveries. Singles followed on the third and fourth, while the fifth was missed. On the final ball, Sufyan Muqeem was bowled.

18th Over

During the 18th over, the first ball was missed. Afridi hit a six on the second, followed by a single on the third. Faheem was trapped lbw on the fourth. Singles came off the fifth and sixth balls.

17th Over

In the 17th over, Sahibzada Farhan was caught near the boundary on the first ball, having scored 40. The second and fourth deliveries were missed. Afridi struck a six on the third. A single was taken on the fifth, and the sixth ball was missed.

16th Over

The 16th over started with a single. The second and third balls were missed. Three runs were made on the fourth, followed by a single on the fifth. The sixth delivery was missed.

15th Over

In the 15th over, the first ball was missed. Singles were taken on the second and third deliveries. The fourth and fifth were missed, while Faheem hit a boundary on the final ball.

14th Over

Axar Patel delivered a testing spell as Pakistan struggled to build momentum in the late stages of their innings. At 13.6 overs, Patel bowled a short delivery, attempting to claim a wicket, but Sahibzada Farhan managed a confident pull through midwicket for four runs.

At 13.5 overs, Patel bowled a loopy ball on off stump at 86 kilometres per hour, which Farhan pushed towards cover without scoring. Farhan showed intent at 13.3 overs by advancing down the pitch but halted midway to defend a length ball aimed at the stumps. He flicked it towards long-off, scoring a single.

A close call came at 13.2 overs when Farhan faced an 84-kilometre-per-hour delivery slanting in on off stump. He stepped forward to punch the ball through mid-on, but the ball glanced his pad. The umpire gave him out, but Farhan reviewed successfully, as Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have hit the leg stump.

Meanwhile, Faheem scored singles at 13.1 and 13.4 overs by pushing the ball through the cover region and behind square on the back foot respectively.

Asad Khan, a passionate fan, questioned whether Pakistan’s target of 140 runs would suffice, highlighting the distance still to cover.

13th Over

Kuldeep Yadav continues to trouble Pakistan’s batsmen with his spin bowling, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries as the visitors struggle on a fresh pitch.

At 12.6 overs, Kuldeep finds the edge off Faheem Ashraf, who scores a single. Ashraf attempts to push a length ball that spun in, but it safely lands in the short-leg area. Kuldeep smiles with his hands on his head as Ashraf runs through. The ball was a length delivery spinning in sharply; Ashraf did not anticipate the googly, moving forward to play a straight bat.

On the hat-trick ball, Kuldeep sets a slip to increase pressure.

At 12.5 overs, Kuldeep dismisses Mohammad Nawaz lbw for a duck, his second wicket in two balls. Nawaz was pinned deep in his crease and failed to read the googly, missing a punch shot towards mid-on. Pakistan reviews the decision, but Hawk-Eye confirms the ball would have hit the leg stump. The visitors now face a swift collapse.

At 12.4 overs, Kuldeep strikes again, trapping Hasan Nawaz lbw for five runs. Nawaz attempted a slog sweep to clear square leg but failed to control the power. The ball bounced off the edge, and Axar Patel ran from first slip to leg gully to complete a neat catch.

Earlier at 12.3 overs, Kuldeep nearly caught Hasan Nawaz with a diving effort to his right, but the ball landed just below.

At 12.2 overs, Hasan Nawaz punches a ball off the back foot to cover as Kuldeep maintains a good length and line just outside off stump.

At 12.1 overs, Hasan Nawaz scores two runs from a short delivery on the leg side. The ball may have slipped from Kuldeep’s hand, as it came out slower than intended.

12th Over

Axar Patel bowls to Sahibzada Farhan, no run. The ball is slightly short on leg, clipped towards midwicket.

One run taken off Axar Patel’s delivery to Hasan Nawaz. The ball comes full just outside off stump. Nawaz inside-edges and pushes for a single. Samson moves to field but fails to gather cleanly.

Sahibzada Farhan scores one run off Axar Patel. The delivery lands on the pads and is guided through midwicket.

No run from Axar Patel to Sahibzada Farhan, who punches off the back foot straight to the bowler.

Axar Patel bowls a length ball just outside off to Farhan, who finds cover with a controlled punch. No run.

Six runs. Sahibzada Farhan takes the first ball of the over from Axar Patel over long-on for a six. Farhan advances down the pitch and strikes with semi-extended arms, clearing the boundary with a powerful hit. The shot carries high, despite the slight risk as the ball tends to bounce even from fuller lengths.

11th Over

Farhan slaps the ball from just outside off to long-on for a single.

A length ball on leg is delivered; Farhan punches it from the crease back to the bowler, appearing hurried rather than attempting a back-foot shot.

Nawaz faces a length ball drifting away at fourth stump and punches it off the back foot to long-on for a single.

A full delivery on leg stump is punched to long-on for a single.

A ball pitched up outside off stump is driven to long-on, yielding one run.

A yorker outside off stump, slightly loopy, is driven to long-off for a single.

10th Over

Top-edged sweep caught at deep square leg. Sweeping Axar always carries risk due to his direction and bounce. The batsman had to play off a length and against the turn. Agha went for the shot regardless, but the ball rose sharply. His 12-ball innings ends. Axar pumps his fist as India take a wicket just before drinks.

Spinner bowls a hard length at 90 km/h, just outside off stump. Shot punched straight back to the bowler.

Batsman cuts late through the gap. The ball is half-stopped at short third, with a slide to the left. Axar shows some displeasure at the fielding effort. The ball was a slightly short delivery at 88 km/h, just outside off stump.

Length ball aimed at the top of middle stump, quick and lively, chopped to backward point. Chopped off a length from the fourth ball, finds point.

Beaten on the sweep. Full ball on the fifth, Agha stays around off and tries to drag it square.

9th Over 

In the ninth over, Varun kept up pressure with his legbreak deliveries. At 8.6 overs, a googly from beyond the perpendicular beat Sahibzada Farhan for no run. At 8.5 overs, Salman punched a front-foot single towards cover.

At 8.4 overs, Varun bowled a length ball that beat Salman’s attempted shot across the line, hitting the front pad just outside off stump. At 8.3 overs, a legbreak landing on fifth stump spun away slightly at 94 kph, beating Salman’s cover drive.

At 8.2 overs, Varun appealed for a big LBW against Salman. The umpire gave the decision out, but Pakistan’s Agha reviewed. The ball pitched on length around off stump, spinning away, with Salman’s front foot across the line. Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have hit leg stump. The review was successful for the second time for Pakistan.

At 8.1 overs, Sahibzada Farhan took a single off a shortish length ball, which bounced extra and denied him room for a flat-bat shot. He managed to find long-off.

8th Over

In the eighth over, Axar Patel delivered a length ball angling towards off stump. Salman dabbed late, sending the ball through the area where first slip would have stood, allowing a single to short third. At 7.5 overs, Patel bowled another length ball outside off, which Salman punched towards cover.

Earlier in the same over, at 7.4 overs, Fakhar Zaman fell to Axar Patel. After two early dot balls, Fakhar danced down and attempted a horizontal-bat shot at a length ball. Patel’s 94 kph delivery rushed him, finding the top edge. Tilak Varma caught the ball well at long-on. Fakhar scored 17 runs from 15 balls with three boundaries.

At 7.3 overs, Patel bowled a length ball around leg stump. The ball beat Fakhar’s paddle, possibly taking an edge. Farhan looked to play fine. In the same over, Sahibzada Farhan struck a single at 7.2 overs, driving through cover but inside edging to square leg. At 7.1 overs, Patel delivered a ball driven off the back foot to cover.

7th Over

A big boundary at cow corner; Axar chases from long-on to restrict the runs to two. An 85-kilometre-an-hour length ball spinning into the top of middle, Farhan stands deep in the crease and punches towards cover.

Pushes a length ball towards cover. The umpire speaks to Kuldeep about his follow-through landing. Fakhar charges and attempts a slog; the ball bounces to Hardik at long-on. The ball angles into leg without spin; Fakhar fails to create enough room, and the swing’s arc is not straight.

Chops the ball from just outside off towards point.

6th Over

Short ball on the leg side passes the hook shot. Bumrah finishes his spell. A yorker edged, a bump ball to the keeper. Samson stops it well, getting low to his left. The umpires check whether it was a catch but the appeal is weak.

The seam-up yorker arrives at 142 km/h. It lands around the fifth stump after Farhan attempts a cut behind square.

The crease chalk shows the ball landed. Bumrah rushes him this time. The pull is sliced but lands safely at midwicket, where a large in-field gap appears. Bumrah maintains a hard-length, off-stump line. The ball skids with little bounce. Farhan fails to adjust, likely would not have even if he tried.

An exceptional heave. Farhan twists his core to use the horizontal bat. Having cleared six over long-on earlier, he now hits one over backward square leg.

He waits for the hard-length ball to come into him and pulls it flat. 

A bumper-yorker attempt ends as a low full toss at 143 km/h. Farhan punches it from the front of the body, finding mid-on. A bouncer quickly off the pitch at 137 km/h, landing around off and skidding through. Farhan crouches low to play under the ball.

5th Over

Farhan makes room to adjust to the line and taps the ball into the off side. Single taken.

Offered slight width, chopped off the back foot to point. No run.

Varun uses the towel. Full delivery on leg stump. Flicked through midwicket for a single.

Zaman creates the shot. Moved down the pitch while making room, met the full-length ball and drove firmly through mid-on.

A low full toss outside off at 93 kph. Farhan swings hard. Varun half-stops it to his left on the follow-through. Single taken.

Slip in place.

Released from a high point. Found extra bounce from a length. Zaman defended straight from middle stump. One run.

4th Over

Pitched on a length outside off stump, punched off the back foot towards cover. No run taken.

A slower delivery. Bumrah followed through to his left but was wrong-footed as the ball dipped low to his right. He reached for it with both hands but could not hold on. Farhan was early into the straight drive and had to adjust to the dip.

Short of a length and slower outside off stump. Farhan stayed back and patted it gently into the off side.

Outstanding shot. Delivered at 141 kph, fuller length around off stump. Farhan stepped forward slightly, held his balance and swung across the line. The ball sailed over long-on.

Offered width outside off stump. Farhan attempted to cut behind point but was beaten by the extra bounce and pace.

Good length delivery on off stump with slight inward movement. Farhan met it with a straight bat in defence.

3rd Over

Hardik delivered into the pitch, slightly too straight. Zaman pulls towards deep-backward square leg for a single.

The ball swings in. Farhan plays it late, punching off a length to mid-on. One run taken.

A short bouncer is helped fine. Around helmet height, clocked at 128 kph. Slightly slow off the pitch, but Zaman completes the stroke. The ball races to the boundary for four. Hardik delivers on a length. Zaman attempts to work it towards midwicket but misses. The ball strikes high on the pad. No run.

A big inswinger down leg. Fakhar tries to glance the full ball but misses. Samson behind the stumps fails to collect. No chance offered. Umpire signals wide. Three runs added. Slip remains in place.

Hardik bowls a shin-high full toss. Zaman clips it neatly along the ground, finding the gap between midwicket and mid-on. Four runs.

2nd Over

Jasprit Bumrah delivered a fiery opening spell, claiming the wicket of Mohammad Haris and nearly trapping Fakhar Zaman in front, as Pakistan’s top order faced immediate pressure.

On the second ball of the over, Mohammad Haris edged to Hardik Pandya, departing for 3 off 5 deliveries. The dismissal came with just one slip in place, but Bumrah's delivery found the edge comfortably.

Fakhar Zaman, arriving early at the crease, was involved in a tense moment two balls later. A yorker landed just in front of the crease and struck his front foot. The appeal for leg-before was upheld, but Zaman reviewed immediately. Replays suggested the ball had pitched just down the leg side, and there were two distinct sounds — bat hitting pad. The decision was overturned, allowing Zaman to continue.

Bumrah continued to build pressure with a delivery that angled sharply away, beating Zaman’s outside edge as he looked to push through cover. Two slips were in place, and the crowd responded with growing intensity.

Sahibzada Farhan, who opened with Haris, faced the final delivery of the over — another yorker swinging in sharply. It struck him on the boot, but no run was scored. Farhan had earlier managed a single with a push towards extra cover, narrowly avoiding the hands in the infield.

1st Over

India’s Hardik Pandya kept things tight with a dramatic over, removing Saim Ayub and keeping Mohammad Haris in check, despite a moment of fortune for the latter.

Pandya began with a breakthrough on the first ball of the over. Saim Ayub played a loose square drive to a length ball and handed a simple catch to Jasprit Bumrah at point. The ball, bowled at a gentle pace with slight room, held a bit in the pitch. Ayub attempted to stay on top of the bounce but played early, resulting in a soft dismissal. He departed without scoring.

Mohammad Haris then managed a single off the second delivery, pushing off the back foot to point. Sahibzada Farhan followed with another single, checking his drive and sending the ball to cover, with a hint of swing away from the bat.

The fourth ball produced variable bounce. Haris tried to loft it over mid-on but missed entirely as the ball skidded under his bat.

The fifth delivery saw Haris attempt a front-foot punch, but the ball came off slowly, forcing him to delay his shot. The bowler’s control over length prevented any run.

On the final ball, Haris attempted a risky shot by moving away and slashing at a length delivery. It took the top edge and landed safely in the outfield as point failed to reach it in time. Two runs resulted.

Pandya maintained a consistent three-quarter to fullish length throughout the over, showing variation in pace and exploiting the conditions.

Pakistan have elected to bat first against India in the 6th match of the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. 

Excitement rose on Sunday ahead of the high-stakes Group A match between Pakistan and India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the toss scheduled shortly before the start.

The Pakistan side, led by Salman Ali Agha, enters the match in confident form. The team has recently secured victory over the West Indies and won the tri-nation series involving the UAE and Afghanistan. In the Asia Cup opener, Pakistan defeated Oman by 93 runs.

However, in a rare development for a match between the South Asian rivals, hundreds of tickets remained unsold on the morning of the game. With fewer than eight hours to go, tickets were still available on the tournament's official platform. Prices ranged from $205 for premium stand seats to $245 for east and west pavilions. Hospitality packages were also available at $1,645 each.

Al Jazeera reported the continued availability of tickets as unusual, given the long-standing rivalry between the two sides.

Although India are the official host of the Asia Cup 2025, reports from Indian media on Saturday indicated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was planning an “invisible boycott” of the fixture. Senior BCCI officials were not expected to attend the match in Dubai.

As of Sunday morning, no BCCI representative had arrived in the UAE. Meanwhile, Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi met with both teams and unveiled the tournament trophy.

Ahead of the match, Dubai Police issued a public advisory warning spectators against any acts of violence, racism or abusive conduct. Offenders will face heavy fines and possible imprisonment. Authorities urged fans to display good sportsmanship and follow local regulations during the event.