What a thrilling match! Unlike their previous one-sided encounters, this final kept fans on edge throughout. India's early wickets put them in trouble - Abhishek Sharma fell cheaply in the second over, followed by SKY and Shubman Gill, leaving India at 20/3 after just 4 overs.
Sanju Samson walked in and steadied the innings alongside Tilak Varma. They kept things safe, building a 50+ partnership to bring India back into the game. Abrar broke that stand, and Pakistan sensed a chance as the required run rate climbed to 10 an over. But a poor 15th over from Haris Rauf swung momentum back to India, with Tilak and Dube putting together another 50+ stand.
With 10 runs needed off the last over, Tilak smashed Rauf for a six, almost sealing the win, leaving Rinku Singh to hit the winning runs and clinch the game.
India vs Pakistan Highlights, Asia Cup 2025 Final: India clinch 9th Asia Cup title with thrilling five-wicket win over Pakistan
Riding on Tilak Varma's incredible half-century, fancied India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the summit showdown to win their second Asia Cup title in the T20 format in Dubai Sunday. India bowled out Pakistan for a modest 146 and then chased down the target of 147 with two balls remaining. Varma smashed an unbeaten 69 in 53 balls, while Shivam Dube contributed a breezy 22-ball 33 during a vital 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav was the star of the show with excellent figures of 4/30 in four overs, while fellow spinners Varun Chakaravarthy (2/30), Axar Patel (2/26) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) were also among the wickets after India opted to bowl first.
India's wins vs Pakistan in tournament finals
By 8 wickets, Melbourne, Benson and Hedges Cup 1984/85
By 8 wickets, Dhaka, Independence Cup 1997/98 (Best of three)
By 3 wickets, Dhaka, Independence Cup 1997/98 (Best of three)
By 5 runs, Johannesburg, T20 WC 2007
By 5 wickets, Dubai, Asia Cup 2025
Unbeaten run in title wins in Men's T20I tournaments
India in Asia Cup 2016
India in Asian Games 2023
India in T20 World Cup 2024
India in Asia Cup 2025
What a thrilling match! Unlike their previous one-sided encounters, this final kept fans on edge throughout. India's early wickets put them in trouble - Abhishek Sharma fell cheaply in the second over, followed by SKY and Shubman Gill, leaving India at 20/3 after just 4 overs.
Sanju Samson walked in and steadied the innings alongside Tilak Varma. They kept things safe, building a 50+ partnership to bring India back into the game. Abrar broke that stand, and Pakistan sensed a chance as the required run rate climbed to 10 an over. But a poor 15th over from Haris Rauf swung momentum back to India, with Tilak and Dube putting together another 50+ stand.
With 10 runs needed off the last over, Tilak smashed Rauf for a six, almost sealing the win, leaving Rinku Singh to hit the winning runs and clinch the game.
India crowned Asia Cup champions
Rinku Singh sealed it in style, smashing the first ball of the tournament to the boundary as India chased down Pakistan's total, winning by 5 wickets to claim their 9th Asia Cup title. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 69.
Rauf to bowl. Tilak on strike. Rinku Singh hasn't played a game in this tournament and he has walked out to bat.
10 needed off last over
OUT! Faheem Ashraf gets a big fish. Shivam Dube holes out to Shaheen Afridi at long off. IND 137/5 in 19 overs
India need 17 off 12
SIX! Shivam Dube breaks the shackles, first boundary for India in nearly three overs. He finishes the over with a six. Rauf goes for the yorker but ends up bowling a juicy full toss, Dube uses his power to tower it over cow corner. IND 130/4 in 18 overs, need 17 runs in 12 balls
Shaheen Afridi finishes with impressive figures of 4-0-20-1. IND 117/4 in 17 overs, need 30 runs in 18 balls
Fifty for Tilak Varma
Under immense pressure, Tilak Varma played a brilliant knock, bringing up his fifty off 41 balls to keep India’s 147-run chase alive. He expertly rebuilt the innings after India had slumped to 20/3. IND 111/4 in 16 overs
100 comes up for India
At last, a productive over for India. A bowling change from Pakistan worked in their favour as Shivam Dube began Haris Rauf’s over with a boundary, and Tilak Varma finished it in style with a six. IND 100/4 in 15 overs
Time is running out for India
Time is slipping away for India as the required rate keeps rising. Pakistan's spinners have maintained a stranglehold, denying the batters any freedom to score. India now need someone to break the shackles and shift the momentum. IND 83/4 in 14 overs
Samson departs
OUT! Abrar Ahmed strikes to break the dangerous-looking partnership between Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma by removing the former. Samson gets an outside edge and Sahibzada Farhan takes a good catch at backward point. IND 77/4 in 12.2 overs
Samson releases the pressure
SIX! Just when the pressure was mounting after three dot balls, Sanju Samson releases it with a massive six. Saim Ayub offers a shorter one and Samson smokes it over long on for a six. IND 76/3 in 11.5 overs
Good over for India
11 runs off Abrar Ahmed's second over. Tilak Varma smashes him for a much-needed six. He gets down on one knee and clobbers the slog-sweep for maximum. IND 69/3 in 11 overs
10 overs done
For the first time in the tournament, India found themselves in real trouble - and it came in the final. With the score at 20/3, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma attempted to steady the innings, but the required run rate quickly climbed to 8.9. IND 58/3 after 10 overs, need 89 runs in 60 balls