Dubai witnessed unforgettable drama as India narrowly defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in a nail-biting Asia Cup 2025 final, igniting wild celebrations at the International Cricket Stadium.
The moment Rinku Singh, who stepped in for the injured Hardik Pandya, struck the decisive boundary, the entire Indian team erupted in joy, rushing onto the field to embrace Tilak Varma and Rinku in scenes of pure ecstasy. Amidst weeks of political posturing, gesture controversies, and the lingering no-handshake row, it was cricket that truly took center stage. This summit clash, living up to the adage that ‘an India-Pakistan clash is not for the faint-hearted,’ went right down to the wire.
India’s winning runs and the wild celebrations that followed were truly a sight to behold. Chasing 147, India faced early setbacks, stumbling to 20/3 and later 77/4. However, Tilak Varma’s composed and tenacious unbeaten 69 runs off 53 balls turned the tide. His crucial 60-run partnership with Shivam Dube (33) anchored the chase before Rinku delivered the finishing blows. With 10 runs needed from the final over, Tilak smashed a towering six, followed by Rinku sealing the victory with two balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, Kuldeep Yadav set the tone for India’s dominance with a magnificent spell of 4/30, triggering a dramatic Pakistani collapse. From a commanding position of 113/1, Pakistan were surprisingly bundled out for just 146 runs in 19.1 overs. Openers Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46) had initially threatened to take the game away, but Kuldeep’s brilliant wrist spin dismantled their middle order, including three crucial wickets in the 17th over.
The underlying tensions remained palpable throughout the match. Jasprit Bumrah reignited the competitive fire by mimicking Haris Rauf’s controversial gesture from a previous encounter after dismissing him. The final, much like the preceding two meetings, conspicuously lacked handshakes at both the toss and the conclusion, highlighting the persistent political undertones of this intense rivalry.
Nevertheless, in front of a packed crowd overwhelmingly dominated by enthusiastic Indian fans, India’s cricketing prowess ultimately shone through. This victory marked India’s third win over Pakistan in the tournament and secured their record-extending ninth Asia Cup title. As Tilak and Rinku celebrated with an unforgettable leap, the thunderous roar from the Dubai stands affirmed one clear message: despite all the external noise, it is the spirit of cricket that continues to unite and thrill.