Champions Again! India lift Asia Cup 2025 after beating Pakistan in final

India lift the Asia Cup 2025 trophy after beating Pakistan in the final, securing their record 9th title and extending dominance in the tournament.

India (Image Credit: ACC)

India secured their ninth Asia Cup title with a thrilling victory over Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, finishing off a nail-biting chase in the final over. What looked like a comfortable run chase became a tense finish as Pakistan's bowlers fought back brilliantly to make India work hard for every run in front of a packed crowd.

Pakistan's innings was a tale of two halves after being put in to bat first. They started solidly and looked well-placed at 113/1, with their opening partnership laying a strong foundation. However, the wheels came off spectacularly as they suffered one of the most dramatic collapses in recent Asia Cup history. From a position of strength, Pakistan lost 9 wickets for just 33 runs to be bowled out for 146, leaving their fans stunned and their team with a below-par total to defend.

The collapse was triggered by India's spinners, who exploited the Dubai pitch conditions perfectly. Pakistan's middle and lower order simply couldn't cope with the turning ball and the mounting pressure, as wickets fell in clusters. What should have been a total of around 180 became a modest 146, giving India a target that looked very achievable at the halfway stage.

Also read: India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025 final: A look back at their last multi-national tournament final

Tense finish as Pakistan fight back

India's chase started confidently but gradually became more difficult as Pakistan's bowlers refused to give up. The required run rate never got out of hand, but wickets at regular intervals kept Pakistan in the game longer than anyone expected. By the time India reached 130/4, needing just 17 runs from 12 balls, the match was still alive.

Pakistan's bowling attack showed tremendous heart and skill to drag the game deep into the final over. Their pacers bowled with discipline while the spinners extracted every bit of turn available from the surface. The pressure began to tell on India's middle order, with several batsmen getting starts but failing to convert them into match-winning knocks.

In the end, India's class and experience in big matches proved decisive. Despite the late drama, they managed to get across the line with Pakistan giving them a real scare. The victory caps off another successful tournament for India, who continue their recent dominance in Asian cricket.

For Pakistan, there were plenty of positives to take from their bowling performance, even though the batting collapse will haunt them for some time. The Asia Cup crown heads to India once again, much to the delight of their traveling supporters in Dubai.

Also read: Did Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf disrespect India's national anthem in Asia Cup 2025 final?

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