Dubai, UAE: In a truly breathtaking turn of events, Pakistan experienced one of their most stunning collapses in recent cricketing memory during the Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Stadium. After appearing to be in a strong position at 113 for 1 in just 12.4 overs, they shockingly lost their next nine wickets for a mere 33 runs.
The innings began with Pakistan looking poised for a formidable total, largely due to the aggressive batting of Sahibzada Farhan. However, India orchestrated a remarkable comeback, with their spin bowlers initiating a rapid meltdown, brilliantly finished off by the pace and precision of Jasprit Bumrah.
India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, surprised many by entrusting the new ball to Shivam Dube, who delivered a disciplined opening spell. Dube maintained control, swinging the ball effectively and conceding only four runs in his initial over. While Sahibzada Farhan managed to hit a couple of boundaries, India’s bowlers largely kept him in check during the powerplay.
Even Jasprit Bumrah, who seemed to be having an off day, faced Farhan’s aggressive strokes, including a powerful four and a towering six, showcasing Farhan’s growing confidence. Pakistan concluded the powerplay at a promising 45 without loss, with Fakhar Zaman carefully building his innings as Farhan took charge.
The middle overs were dominated by Farhan’s impressive performance. He repeatedly found the leg-side boundary with his powerful cross-batted shots, reaching a well-deserved half-century off just 35 balls. Kuldeep Yadav was initially targeted, with Farhan launching him for a six over deep mid-wicket. With Fakhar also finding his rhythm after a cautious start, Pakistan accelerated to 87 for 1 in 10 overs, and then reached 113 for 1, setting their sights on a total exceeding 180.
Then, the collapse began. Varun Chakravarthy provided the crucial breakthrough India desperately needed, enticing Farhan into an ill-advised slog. The opener, despite his sparkling half-century, was visibly frustrated as he departed for 57, slamming his bat into the ground. Kuldeep Yadav followed up by dismissing the dangerous Saim Ayub, caught at backward point from a sliced cut shot, before Axar Patel accounted for Mohammad Haris with a poorly executed lofted drive. In a blink, Pakistan tumbled from 113 for 1 to 123 for 4.
The wickets continued to tumble relentlessly. Fakhar Zaman, having finally found his rhythm, fell victim to Chakravarthy’s clever bowling. Axar then struck again, removing Hussain Talat, whose attempted big shot found Sanju Samson in the deep. Agha Salman attempted a disastrous slog, and even Shaheen Afridi, known for his aggressive batting, could do little to stem the flow of wickets.
The collapse was starkly highlighted by Kuldeep Yadav’s double-strike, which saw Pakistan lose four wickets for a mere seven runs in a bewildering passage of play. After a tough start, his variations proved decisive, culminating in a match-turning spell of 4 for 30.
With the middle order decimated, Jasprit Bumrah was left to efficiently clean up the tail. His signature yorkers, which had been somewhat absent earlier in the tournament, reappeared at the perfect moment. He uprooted Haris Rauf’s off stump with a trademark dipping delivery and sealed the innings by bowling Mohammad Nawaz. Pakistan’s innings concluded in just 19.1 overs, leaving their fans in stunned disbelief at how quickly their control had evaporated.
What initially promised to be a challenging total transformed into a modest one, a result of both reckless Pakistani batting and India’s relentless and suffocating spin attack.