Match: India vs Pakistan, Group A, 6th Match, Asia Cup 2025
Date & Venue: September 14, 2025 — Dubai International Stadium, Dubai
Result: India won by 7 wickets, chasing down Pakistan’s total with 4.1 overs to spare.
Scorecard Snapshot
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | 127/9 in 20 overs |
| India | 131/3 in 15.5 overs |
Player of the Match: Kuldeep Yadav (India)
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Innings Breakdown & Key Turning Points
Pakistan Innings (First Innings)
Powerplay (Overs 1-6):
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Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat.
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Early wicket: Saim Ayub was dismissed on the very first over (0.1) bowled by Hardik Pandya, caught by Bumrah. A golden duck that immediately put Pakistan under pressure.
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By the end of the powerplay, the score was modest. Pakistan had lost a couple of wickets and were not able to settle.
Middle Overs (Overs 7-15):
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Trying to rebuild, Sahibzada Farhan played a patient knock (40 off 44 balls) — the highest for Pakistan in that innings.
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Spinners made things difficult. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel bowled with control, picking up key wickets and slowing the run flow.
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At some stage, Pakistan were around 45-50 for 3 or 4, with pressure mounting.
Death Overs (Overs 16-20):
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Just when a late flourish was needed, Shaheen Afridi came through: a rapid 33 off 16 balls* with 4s and 6s.
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Extras helped a bit, but Pakistan fell short of putting a strong total on board. 127/9 was well under par given the target looks chaseable.
Notable Bowling by India:
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Kuldeep Yadav was the star — 3 wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs.
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Axar Patel also picked up 2-18 in his 4 overs, maintaining pressure especially in the middle overs.
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Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two wickets.
India Innings (Chase)
Powerplay (Overs 1-6):
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India got off to a strong start. Abhishek Sharma exploded in the beginning: 31 off 13 balls with multiple boundaries and even sixes. Big momentum shift.
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Shubman Gill provided a steady start but lost his wicket early (10 off 7) — caught behind. Still, the opener’s presence early helped settle nerves.
Middle Overs (Overs 7-12):
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The key partnership: Tilak Varma joined captain Suryakumar Yadav, and together they stitched a solid stand (~56 runs) that shifted momentum decisively.
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Varma played with maturity: rotating strike, punishing the loose balls. Yadav built his innings with sensible shot selection.
Finishing Stretch:
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India closed out the chase with 4.1 overs to spare. The remaining wickets in hand allowed them to keep the tempo without taking excessive risks.
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Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 47 off 37 balls — anchoring the finish.
Player Ratings
Here are approximate ratings (out of 10) based on impact, performance, and significance.
| Player | Team | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuldeep Yadav | India | 9/10 | Match-winner with the ball. His control in the middle overs choked Pakistan and turned the game. |
| Suryakumar Yadav | India | 8.5/10 | Captain’s knock, finishing under pressure. Smart shot selection and cool under the chase. |
| Abhishek Sharma | India | 8/10 | Explosive start that gave India the momentum. 31 off 13 is excellent in that stage. |
| Tilak Varma | India | 7.5/10 | Anchor in the middle, partnered well with Surya, kept the chase on track. |
| Shaheen Afridi | Pakistan | 7/10 | The only bright spot in the latter half; his late hitting gave some respectability. |
| Sahibzada Farhan | Pakistan | 6.5/10 | Gave some resistance with 40, but couldn’t push the score too far. |
| Pakistan’s top order | Pakistan | 4/10 | Collapsed early; losing 2-3 wickets quickly hurt their chances badly. |
| Axar Patel | India | 7/10 | Wicket-taking and kept run-rate in check in middle overs. |
Tactical Insights
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Toss & Conditions
Pakistan chose to bat first. Given Dubai often offers a slowish pitch in second half and possibly some dew, batting first was arguable. But they did not make the most of the powerplay. -
Spinner Usage
India’s spinners — Kuldeep and Axar — were crucial. Using them in the middle overs when Pakistan might look to accelerate was smart. They not only took wickets but also throttled scoring. -
Building the Chase
India’s approach in the chase was balanced: explosive early overs (Abhishek Sharma), consolidation (Varma & Surya), finishing respectably without panicking. Wickets in hand allowed easier calculation. -
Pakistan’s Missed Opportunities
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Early wickets fell badly, putting them on back foot.
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Not enough batting depth: beyond Farhan and Afridi’s late flourish, others didn’t stick.
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Maybe needed a better acceleration phase to put a more challenging score.
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Statistical Highlights & Interesting Facts
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Pakistan managed 127/9; only 5 batters reached double figures.
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Shaheen Afridi’s strike rate in that knock was very high: 33 off 16 balls.
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Abhishek Sharma’s 31 came off just 13 deliveries — that’s a big boost early in powerplay.
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India required 128 to win and did it in 15.5 overs → 4 overs + 1 ball to spare. That’s a strong finish.
Context & Significance
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India vs Pakistan is always more than just cricket. Every encounter has strong emotional, political, and media interest. This win for India adds morale, particularly in this Asia Cup group stage.
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The performance strengthens India’s position in the group; net run rate also helps when games are tight.
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For Pakistan, this loss raises concerns about batting depth, ability to recover from early collapse, and whether their strategy works under pressure.
Key Takeaways
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India executed better across departments: bowling, middle overs chase, finishing.
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Kuldeep Yadav emerges yet again as a match-winner in high-pressure matches with his spin.
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Pakistan need to rework batting strategies in powerplay; early wickets hurt them.
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Leadership under pressure: Suryakumar Yadav showed calm under chase.
Read Past Match Results:
India vs UAE Asia Cup 2025 Highlights
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong Asia Cup 2025 Highlights
Conclusion
The India vs Pakistan match in Asia Cup 2025 (Group A) was perhaps not the closest in history but it demonstrated India’s dominance in handling pressure chases and using spin to good effect. Pakistan’s performance was marred by early collapses and failure to build partnerships; despite Shaheen’s late fireworks, the target remained comfortable for India.
This match will be looked back upon as an example of India’s disciplined all-round performance and Pakistan’s inconsistent batting. If Pakistan are to bounce back in the tournament, they’ll need stronger starts and more resilience, while India would hope to maintain momentum from this victory.
