Tilak Varma dazzled with an unbeaten knock of 69, leading India to a thrilling victory over Pakistan by five wickets, securing a record-extending ninth Asia Cup title. Notably, there were no handshakes between the rival teams once again on Sunday.
In pursuit of a target of 147 for victory, India banked on Varma’s impressive 53-ball innings and a crucial 60-run partnership with fellow left-hander Shivam Dube to clinch the win with just two balls remaining in Dubai.
Dube departed for 33 at the end of the 19th over. With 10 runs needed from the final six deliveries, Varma launched a six and Rinku Singh sealed the triumph with the winning boundary. This dramatic ending saw the pair sprint off to jubilantly celebrate with their teammates, leaving the Pakistani side to exchange handshakes amongst themselves.
Kuldeep Yadav set up India’s third victory over their rivals in the regional tournament played under the T20 format as his figures of 4-30 helped bowl out Pakistan for 146.
India were in trouble at 3-20 and 4-77, but Varma kept calm to anchor the chase as he hit three fours and four sixes in his knock.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson’s 24 and then a supporting knock by Dube took India home at a nearly packed stadium dominated by Indian fans.
The two neighbours came into the title clash with tensions high from their previous two clashes in the competition, which witnessed political posturing and aggressive on-field behaviour.
India pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah raised the heat in the first innings on Sunday when he bowled Haris Rauf for six and made a gesture similar to the one the Pakistan bowler had done to the crowd in the previous meeting between the two teams.
Put in to bat after no handshakes at the toss, Pakistan started strongly as openers Sahibzada Farhan, who made 57, and Fakhar Zaman, who made 46, put on 84 runs but the team slipped from 113-1 to be bowled out in 19.1 overs.
Sahibzada fell after his second fifty in this edition of the Asia Cup after the batter attempted a second successive six off spinner Varun Chakravarthy.
Fakhar took charge and along with Saim Ayub kept up the attack with regular boundaries until Kuldeep struck in the 13th over.
Saim fell to Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist spin as Pakistan lost six wickets for 21 runs.
Fakhar fell short of his fifty and Kuldeep struck with three wickets in the 17th over, including skipper Salman Ali Agha for eight.
India and Pakistan met earlier in the competition for the first time after deadly fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have not played a bilateral series in over a decade.
The two only meet in multi-nation tournaments at neutral venues as part of a compromise deal.
India comfortably won their earlier two matches. In the group match, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav had refused to shake hands with Pakistan counterpart Agha and the two teams kept up the stance for the rest of the tournament.