Tilak shines as India beat Pakistan in thriller to lift Asia Cup

DUBAI: A well-compiled half-century by Tilak Varma and his useful partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube helped Team India secure their second T20I Asia Cup title and overall ninth title, including the ODI editions, beating Pakistan by five wickets in a nail-biting final at Dubai on Sunday.

Suryakumar-led Team India continues its rampaging run in T20Is, having won 18 T20Is and dropped just two and tied two ever since it first wore the captaincy armband. Kuldeep Yadav (4/30) sent Pakistan into a shocking collapse, from 113/1 to 146 all out, despite a fine 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (57 in 38 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and Fakhar Zaman (46 in 35 balls, with two fours and two sixes). In the chase, India collapsed to 20/3 with an initial burst from Faheem Ashraf (3/29), but Tilak (69* in 53 balls, with three fours and four sixes) strung partnerships with Sanju Samson (24 in 21 balls, with two fours and a six) and Shivam Dube (33 in 22 balls, with two fours and two sixes).

During the run-chase of 147 runs, India had a start to forget as Abhishek Sharma’s breakout tournament ended with a whimper, with Haris Rauf catching him at mid-on, giving Faheem Ashraf the first wicket. Abhishek was gone for five-ball five. India was 7/1 in 1.1 overs.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s poor tournament and 2025 in T20Is continued, as he succumbed to Shaheen Shah Afridi for just one run off five balls, while a poorly-timed shot from vice-captain Shubman Gill landed into Rauf’s hands at mid-on, removing him for 12 in 10 balls. India was in deep trouble at 20/3 in 4 overs, perhaps staring at repeating the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final.

Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson got some quick runs for India in the next two overs, with Tilak taking down Faheem with a four and six, ending the powerplay with 36 runs on the board.

A couple more boundaries followed, and India reached the 50-run mark in 8.1 overs, with a single by Samson.

At the end of 10 overs, India was 58/3, with Samson (16*) and Tilak (24*) unbeaten. Within the next two overs, Tilak and Samson collected sixes against spinners, easing the pressure. But an outside edge by Samson landed in the hands of Sahibzada Farhan at the backward point. The 57-run stand was undone, with Samson back in the hut for 21-ball 24, with two fours and a six. India was 77/4 in 12.2 overs.

Spinners had done a fine job for Pakistan to squeeze India till 14th over, only letting them add 24 runs in addition to their total after 10th over and conceding just one six. The 15th over by Haris Rauf did help India’s cause a bit as both Tilak and Shivam Dube launched a counter, with Shivam first firing a boundary and Tilak following it with a four and six. India was 100/4 after 15 overs, with 47 runs needed in the final five overs. Rauf conceded 17 runs in his over.

The 16th over by Abrar also started on poor note for Pakistan, as Shivam dispatched him for a biggie over deep mid-wicket and it was followed by a wide. 11 runs came from this over, with Tilak delivering a clutch fifty in 41 balls, with three fours and three sixes.

Shaheen’s next over generated just six runs, leaving India with 30 to get in the final three overs. Haris kept bowling well to restrain India from boundaries, however, the final ball of the over was a full toss, which Dube sent for a huge six, leaving India to get 17 in 12 balls.

Faheem’s next over started with three singles, but Dube pierced the fourth delivery for a four. However, the final ball saw him for go for a straight six and get caught by Shaheen for 33 in 22 balls, with two fours and two sixes. India needed 10 runs in the final over.

Rauf’s final over started with the Tilak running two with Rinku Singh, and following it with a six, leaving India with two runs to get in the final four balls. Scores were level, and Rinku got the chance to finish it off with a four. India ended their run-chase at 150/5 in 19.4 overs, with Tilak (69* in 53 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and Rinku Singh (4*) unbeaten.

Faheem Ashraf (3/29) was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed with a wicket also registered their names on the scorecard.

Earlier, India’s star Kuldeep Yadav’s spin magic restricts Pakistan to 146 in the final of the ongoing T20 Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.

India made a superb comeback with the ball in the second half of the match. After being 113-2 in 12 overs, Pakistan were bowled out for just 33 runs.

India were without star all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the Asia Cup 2025 final. Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha once again avoided the handshake at the toss. Yadav also did not attend the trophy photoshoot with the Pakistan captain before the toss.

After winning the toss, India opted to bowl. Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman opened the innings. Shivam Dube took the new ball and conceded only a four in the first over.

Farhan swung and missed mostly in Bumrah’s first over. Four singles and a four in the third over of the innings off Dube. Pakistan reached 19 from the first three overs.

Bumrah was taken for a four and a sixer by Farhan in the fourth over. Varun Chakaravarthy concedes only five runs in his first over. Axar Patel bowled the last over of the power play and gave away eight runs. Pakistan steadily reached 45 after the conclusion of the power-play.

Pakistan brought up their fifty in the 7th over as Kuldeep Yadav went for 11 in his first over. Farhan continued to chip away at the boundaries. Farhan brought back-to-back fifties against India. This came in 35 balls.

Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy gave India the first breakthrough as Sahibzada Farhan departed after slamming a half-century. Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were at the crease. Pakistan reached 107/1 in 12 overs against India in the final.

Yadav, in the following over, got Saim Ayub for 14. The fall of a wicket continued for Pakistan as Mohammad Haris was removed for a duck from Axar Patel in the 14th over.

Chakaravarthy, after being hit for a six from Fakhar, removed him on the very next ball for 46 in the 15th over. Axar, in his last over, got the second wicket in the fixture, removing Hussain Talat for just one.

Salman Agha’s run drought continued as Yadav removed him for eight runs off seven balls. Yadav, in the same over, removed Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf for a duck, finishing his spell on 4/30.

Indian spinners, including Chakaravarthy, Patel, and Yadav, spun a web around Pakistan.

Bumrah bashed Haris Rauf’s off-stump with a yorker to remove him for six, and he did an ‘Airplane crash’ celebration in response to the pacer’s controversial and provocative gestures during the Super Four clash. He also got the final scalp of Mohmmed Nawaz, bundling out Pakistan for just 146 runs.

Brief Scores: Pakistan: 146/10 in 19.1 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 57, Fakhar Zaman 46, Kuldeep Yadav 4/30) vs India: 150/5 (Tilak Varma: 69*, Shivam Dube 33, Faheem Ashraf 3/29). (ANI)