In a high-voltage Asia Cup clash, India convincingly defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in Dubai. Pakistan, batting first, were restricted to a modest 127 for 9 after India’s spin attack—led by Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel—dismantled their middle order. Kuldeep grabbed 3 wickets for 18 runs, while Axar chipped in with two more. Pakistan’s innings saw a gritty 40 from Sahibzada Farhan and a late-blitz from Shaheen Shah Afridi, but those efforts weren’t enough to set a challenging total.
India’s chase was clinical. Abhishek Sharma exploded with 31 off just 13 balls, and Tilak Varma also contributed 31 while providing stability. Shubman Gill offered a steady start, but it was captain Suryakumar Yadav who anchored the chase with an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls, finishing the job in just 15.5 overs with more than four overs to spare. With this win, India have all but secured their place in the Super 4 stage.
The performance highlighted India’s dominance, especially with spin, and exposed some of the gaps in Pakistan’s batting lineup. Kuldeep’s precision and ability to break partnerships early played a key role. India’s powerful batting finish sealed what turned into a fairly one-sided affair.
