The Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan in Dubai was a nail-biting affair, culminating in a 5-wicket victory for India. The match was filled with dramatic twists and turns, and the tension was palpable both on and off the field. A video of India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, reacting to Tilak Varma's decisive six off Haris Rauf in the final over has gone viral.
Pakistan, after being put in to bat, got off to a strong start, with openers Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35) building an 84-run partnership in under 10 overs. However, India's spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel turned the game around, claiming nine wickets for 33 runs. Kuldeep Yadav starred with 4/30 in four overs, while Chakaravarthy and Patel took two wickets each. Pakistan suffered a collapse, losing their last 9 wickets for just 33 runs and were bowled out for 146 in 19.1 overs.
In response, India faced early setbacks, slumping to 20/3 in the powerplay. Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Afridi troubled the Indian top order, dismissing Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill for single-digit scores. Tilak Varma, however, stood firm, scoring an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls under immense pressure. He found valuable support from Shivam Dube, who contributed 33 off 22 balls, and Sanju Samson, who added 24. Varma and Dube forged a crucial 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
With 10 runs needed off the final over, bowled by Haris Rauf, Tilak Varma sealed the victory with a six, sending the Indian fans into jubilation. As Tilak Varma hit the pressure-releasing six, cameras caught Gautam Gambhir, known for his serious demeanor, making a passionate gesture. Gambhir was seen banging the desk in a rare display of emotion. A video of Gambhir's reaction went viral, with fans celebrating his unfiltered passion for the game.
This win marked India's ninth Asia Cup title and their second T20 Asia Cup victory. It was also the first India-Pakistan final in Asia Cup history. Tilak Varma was named the Player of the Match for his match-winning innings. Abhishek Sharma was named player of the tournament.
