Tilak holds nerves to guide India to another title victory

By our correspondent
DUBAI: India clinched the Asia Cup 2025 title in a dramatic final against Pakistan last night at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, winning by five wickets with just two balls to spare.
In what was the first-ever Asia Cup final between the two arch-rivals, the match lived up to the hype with tension, momentum swings and a finish that left fans breathless.
Pakistan, sent in to bat after losing the toss, started strongly with an 84-run opening partnership between Sahibzada Farhan, who scored 57 off 38 balls, and Fakhar Zaman, who added 46 off 35. But from a commanding position at 113-1, the innings fell apart. India’s spin trio led by Kuldeep Yadav dismantled the middle and lower order. Kuldeep finished with figures of 4 for 30, triggering a collapse that saw Pakistan lose nine wickets for just 33 runs, ending their innings at 146 in 19.1 overs.
India’s chase was far from straightforward. They lost two wickets for just 10 runs early in the innings and pressure mounted as Pakistan’s pace attack kept things tight. However, Tilak Varma emerged as the hero of the night. Calm and composed under pressure, he built a steady innings and eventually guided India to the target with an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls. His partnership with Shivam Dube, who contributed a quickfire 33 off 22, was crucial in stabilizing the innings and shifting momentum back in India’s favor.
With 10 runs needed from the final over, bowled by Haris Rauf, Tilak struck a massive six off the first ball to tilt the game decisively in India’s favor. Rinku Singh, facing his first delivery of the entire tournament, sealed the match with a boundary, taking India to 150 for 5 in 19.4 overs.
The win marked India’s ninth Asia Cup title and reaffirmed their dominance in the tournament’s history. Tilak Varma was named Player of the Match for his composed and match-winning knock. Despite the high-quality cricket, the post-match ceremony was marked by controversy as the Indian players declined to accept the trophy or medals from ACC President and Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The two teams also skipped the traditional post-match handshakes, highlighting the ongoing political tensions between the two nations.
On the field, though, it was a classic a high-stakes encounter that delivered edge-of-the-seat drama and crowned India as champions once again.