Match Overview
In a highly anticipated Group A match of the Asia Cup 2025, India crushed Pakistan by 7 wickets on September 14, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. They chased down a small target with ease. The score showed India’s superiority, but the post-game talk was about the lack of handshakes, as is customary, due to rising political tensions.
Toss & Top Players
- Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, won the toss and chose to bat first.
- The majority of the players on India’s team, including Suryakumar Yadav, were young.
- India’s key performers were Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah.
- Sahibzada Farhan & Shaheen Shah Afridi (not out), and others helped Pakistan’s batting order.
Indian Bowling Masterclass and fielding
- The spin battery was in charge of India’s bowling attack. Kuldeep Yadav was the best, capturing 3 wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs.
- Axar Patel also did a good job.
- Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya got Pakistan in difficulty early
Pakistan Batting
Pakistan were restricted to 127/9 in 20 overs. Key innings:
- Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 40 to give some backbone to the Pakistan innings.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi played a late unbeaten 33, but it was too little to solidify Pakistan run score.
Indian Batting Brilliance
In response, India chased the target in 15.5 overs with 7 wickets in hand:
- Abhishek Sharma gave a brisk start — 31 off 13 balls.
- Tilak Varma added 31, steadying the chase.
- Captain Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 47 off 37 balls, guiding the tail end and sealing the win.
Fielding
Sharp Indian Fielding and costly Pakistani Drops shape the game.
Match Result
India crushed Pakistan by 7 wickets with 4.1 overs to spare.
The Handshake Controversy
This match was not just a cricketing contest—it carried considerable off-field tension, which manifested in a few key moments:
- At the toss, the customary handshake between captains Suryakumar Yadav (India) and Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan) was skipped.
- After the match, the Indian players declined the usual post-match handshake with their Pakistani counterparts and reportedly also with the match officials, walking directly to their dressing room. Pakistan’s side stayed on, expecting the ritual.
- India’s captain defended the decision, stating that the team’s conduct was “aligned with their government and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)”.
Pakistan’s coach, Mike Hesson, expressed disappointment, saying they had been ready to shake hands but felt let down. Capt. Agha also did not attend the post-match presentation chat, reportedly because the controversy had been widely discussed in the media and among fans, some supporting India’s decision, others criticizing it as unsportsmanlike. the earlier actions.
Pakistan national anthem mix-up
There was also a reported mix-up of the Pakistan national anthem: a popular song “Jalebi Baby” was played in error before the correct anthem was played, which reportedly irked some players.
The controversy has been widely discussed in the media and among fans, some supporting India’s decision, others criticizing it as unsportsmanlike.
Points Table & What Comes Next
- With this win, India now have two wins from two matches, putting them on 4 points from Group A, and a strong net run-rate.
- Pakistan has now played two matches, with one win and one loss, and is also on 2 points.
- The other teams in Group A — United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman — have yet to win their matches, and are at the bottom of the table with 0 points.
- India’s position at the top of the group substantially backs their qualification into the Super Four stage. Pakistan still has a path to qualify, but its margin for error is now smaller.
For Pakistan to qualify, they need to win their remaining group game(s) and possibly rely on other results or net run-rate, depending on the outcomes involving the UAE and Oman.
Conclusion
On the field, India crushed Pakistan by 7 wickets and outplayed them across all departments — spin bowling, batting, and fielding — to win comfortably. Off the field, however, the atmosphere was tense. The decision to skip handshakes and related actions has added political overtones to what is traditionally a sporting rivalry. With the match already being the first between the countries since the recent conflict, many see these gestures as reflective of the broader geopolitical tensions.
With this emphatic win over Pakistan, India further improves their Asia Cup stats and gives them momentum and control in Group A, while Pakistan must bounce back strongly in their next games if they are to stay in contention for a Super Four place.