In the Asia Cup 2025 final, India faced Pakistan in a highly anticipated match. Pakistan were bowled out for a modest 146 in 19.1 overs. Kuldeep Yadav was the star performer, taking 4 wickets for 30 runs. Varun Chakaravarthy (2/30), Axar Patel (2/26), and Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) also contributed to the bowling effort. Pakistan's innings was initially propped up by an opening partnership of 84 between Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35). However, after they were dismissed, the Pakistani batting order collapsed, losing their last nine wickets for only 33 runs.

Chasing a target of 147, India's start was shaky. Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Afridi dismissed Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill for single-digit scores. Tilak Varma scored a half-century and built a partnership with Shivam Dube. Sanju Samson contributed 24 runs before being dismissed by Abrar Ahmed. At 117/4 after 17 overs, India needed 30 runs off 18 balls.

The match went down to the wire, with fans expressing concerns about India's approach to the chase. Some observers felt that the team was panicking and "throwing away the match". The pressure of the situation and the importance of the game seemed to be affecting the players' decision-making.

Abrar Ahmed's impressive bowling put Pakistan back in control, increasing the pressure on India. The required run rate climbed close to 10, placing a significant responsibility on Tilak Varma. Despite Varma's fifty, the dismissals of other key batsmen put India in a precarious position.