Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:Suryakumar Yadav celebrated his 35th birthday in style by hitting an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls to guide India to a clinical seven-wicket win over Pakistan in a marquee Group A clash of the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 14. Earlier, India’s spin-heavy strategy proved decisive for the second game running. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav led the charge with figures of 3-18, while Axar Patel chipped in with 2-18. Varun Chakaravarthy had figures of 1-24, as the trio operated with remarkable control on a sluggish Dubai pitch to restrict Pakistan to 127/9.
The sluggish Dubai surface further aided India’s tweakers, whose control and variations left Pakistan struggling for momentum throughout their innings. While Sahibzada Farham top-scored with 40, a late flourish from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who hit an unbeaten 16-ball 33, gave some respectability to Pakistan’s low score. Chasing 128 was always going to be an easy ask, and India cruised to victory with 25 balls to spare. It was a game where the reigning T20 World Cup champions showed how much superior they were to Pakistan in all aspects of the game.
After the chase was over, Suryakumar and Shivam Dube (10 not out) walked off briskly, with no handshakes exchanged between players once again or the support staff. It came in the backdrop of the game being played for the first time after heightened diplomatic tensions between the two teams earlier this year. India’s easy chase was also helped by brisk contributions from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma – both left-handed batters scoring 31 each, as India registered their second consecutive win in the tournament, which also boosts their net run rate. Abhishek got India off to a blistering start by lofting Shaheen Shah Afridi straight over the umpire’s head for four and followed it up with a clean strike over long-off for six. Shubman Gill hit two sublime fours off Saim Ayub before the batter was stumped for 10.
