India’s triumphant capture of their ninth Asia Cup title against Pakistan was already a match for the history books, celebrated for its nail-biting finish and dominant individual performances. However, the post-match euphoria was amplified by an astonishing coincidence involving two young stars, Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma.
Rinku Singh, who remarkably hadn’t featured in a single game throughout the tournament, was brought into the squad for the final after Hardik Pandya sustained an injury. His unexpected inclusion was a talking point among fans, but what unfolded next truly left everyone spellbound. The image shows Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh, both of whom had written down their desire to help India win the final by scoring runs before the tournament began.
In the tense final moments of India’s chase, with the scores level, Singh stepped onto the field. Facing the very first ball of the last over from Haris Rauf, he powerfully struck it for a boundary over mid-on, clinching India’s record ninth Asia Cup title in dramatic fashion. What made this moment even more incredible was a revelation by presenter Sanjana Ganesan: weeks before the tournament even began, Rinku Singh had written on a card his precise desire to hit the winning runs of the Asia Cup 2025 on September 6th.
Adding to this extraordinary narrative, Tilak Varma, who delivered a stellar unbeaten 69 runs off 53 balls in the final, also had a pre-tournament note. His card declared his ambition to score crucial runs in the final to guide India to victory. Living up to his own words, Varma played a pivotal anchoring role alongside Shivam Dube, forging a vital 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket, with Dube contributing a quickfire 33 off 22 balls.
Earlier in the match, India’s formidable bowling attack had restricted Pakistan to a modest 146 runs, all out in 19.1 overs. Despite a strong opening by Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35), the Indian spin maestros Kuldeep Yadav (4/30), Varun Chakravarthy (2/30), and Axar Patel (2/26) orchestrated a spectacular collapse. Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for a mere 33 runs, with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also chipping in with two wickets.
India’s chase of 147 began with early jitters, as they found themselves struggling at 20/3 after just four overs, losing key batsmen Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and captain Suryakumar Yadav. However, Tilak Varma’s composed innings, coupled with Dube’s aggressive support, stabilized the innings and steered India confidently across the finish line with two balls to spare.
This victory marked India’s third triumph over Pakistan in the tournament, having previously defeated them in both the group and Super 4 stages. The astonishing predictions and subsequent performances by Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma have since captivated fans and gone viral, transforming this Asia Cup final into a truly unforgettable, fairytale-like sporting event for the duo.