• Source:PTI
Add as a preferred

India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan posted a challenging total of 171/5 in their 20 overs against India in the Super Fours match of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 21.

Stylish right-handed opener Sahibzada Farhan headlined the Pakistan innings with an attractive 58 off 45 balls as Kuldeep Yadav's dropped catch off Varun Chakravarthy's bowling turned out to be costly.

However, Pakistan, after a brilliant front-10 in which they scored 91 for 1 riding on a 72-run stand between Sahibzada and Saim Ayub (21 off 17 balls), tapered off during the back-10, managing 80 runs for the loss of four wickets. Once the back-10 started after the drinks break, Indian bowlers had a better control rate as Dube (2/33 in 4 overs) struck a couple of crucial blows which could prove to be game game-changer in the final context of the match.

ALSO READ: India vs Pakistan LIVE Cricket Score, Asia Cup 2025 Updates 

First was a heavy ball that forced Ayub to go for a 'Nataraja' (one-legged) pull-shot, but was brilliantly snaffled by Abhishek Sharma, who sprinted from the deep and took a superb diving catch inches off the ground.

ALSO READ: Salman Agha Comes Out With Interesting Comment At Toss Amid PCB-ICC Tussle And Handshake Row

While Hussain Talat, the new entrant, failed to read Kuldeep and was out cheaply, Farhan, who after a 34-ball-50, couldn't get big shots going as Dube cleverly used the change of pace to deceive, and the result was an easy skier for Chakravarthy.

Credit should also go to Chakravarthy (0/25 in 4 overs), who might have gone wicketless, but his overs did put the brakes on Pakistan and enabled Dube to buy wickets just when the opposition wanted to go on the offensive.

Towards the end, skipper Salman Ali Agha (17 not out off 13 balls) and Mohammed Nawaz (21 off 19 balls) got a few runs but couldn't consistently hit big shots, save in the last over from Dube, which cost him 17 runs.

However, what would worry India is Jasprit Bumrah (0/45 in 4 overs), who again bowled three of his four overs inside the Power Play and conceded six boundaries -- something Indian cricket followers mustn't have witnessed for ages.

In the penultimate over, Faheem Ashraf (20 not out off 8 balls) hit him for a monstrous six as the total crossed the 170-run mark.