India Win by 5 Wickets
India Win by 5 Wickets: In a contest that lived up to its blockbuster billing, India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in a nerve-shredding finale to retain the Asia Cup in Dubai. However, the on-field triumph was immediately overshadowed by a stunning political statement, as the Indian team refused to accept the winner’s trophy from the Asian Cricket Council president, Pakistan’s Mohsin Naqvi.
The victory, sealed with just two balls to spare, earned India their ninth Asia Cup title. But the post-match ceremony was abandoned after the Indian players did not reappear to collect their prize.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav underscored the team’s protest, stating, “It’s one thing that I have never seen in my career—that a champion team is denied its trophy.” The tense gesture comes against the backdrop of recent military conflicts between the two nations, a subject referenced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his social media congratulations.
A Tale of Two Collapses
The match itself was a rollercoaster. Pakistan, put in to bat, looked set for a commanding total at 113-1, thanks to a superb 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46). Then, the innings imploded spectacularly. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav (4-30) ran through the middle order, triggering a stunning collapse that saw Pakistan lose their last nine wickets for just 33 runs, skittled for 146.
In reply, India’s chase mirrored Pakistan’s fragility. They slumped to early trouble, losing three wickets in the first three overs to give Pakistan a surge of hope. But young Tilak Varma played the innings of his life, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 69. With crucial support from Shivam Dube (33) and Sanju Samson (24), he guided India to a hard-fought victory.
For Pakistan, the defeat was a bitter pill. Captain Salman Agha lamented, “It is a tough pill to swallow. We couldn’t rotate the strike properly, and that is the reason we didn’t get the score we wanted. We need to sort out our batting.”
While the cricket provided high drama, the day will be remembered as much for the political statement as for the sporting achievement.
