 "Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed celebrates after dismissing India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson during the Asia Cup final in Dubai. Image credit: Screengrab")
Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson came to India’s rescue in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan after the Men in Blue were reduced to 20/3 inside the powerplay in their chase of 147, the middle-order pair taking their partnership past the fifty-mark after seeing through the remaining deliveries of the powerplay.
LIVE | India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025 Final in Dubai
And just when Tilak and Samson appeared to be cruise control, leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed rekindled the contest and brought his team back into the game by getting rid of the latter. Samson had been dropped in Abrar’s bowling earlier in the chase after mishitting the ball towards deep midwicket, with Hussain Talat putting down the chance in front of the boundary rope.
Abrar keeps Pakistan afloat in tense final
The Indian wicketkeeper-batter was dropped on 12 and would go on to add another 12 to his account, including a six off Saim Ayub in the 12th over. Samson’s luck, however, finally ran out after getting a thick leading edge in the 14th over, resulting in a simple catch for Sahibzada Farhan near backward point.
And Abrar celebrated the wicket in his quintessential celebration – turning his head sideways, as if to tell the batter to “buzz off” the ground. It was exactly how he had celebrated after dismissing Shubman Gill during their Champions Trophy meeting earlier this year, which had led to an angry stare from the latter.
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Despite Abrar’s dismissal, India remained in the hunt with Shivam Dube, returning to the XI after sitting out of the Sri Lanka clash, beginning his innings on a confident note with Tilak still going strong at the other end.