 "India's Shubman Gill walks off after getting dismissed by Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf during the final of the 2025 Asia Cup. Reuters")
Team India were off to a disastrous start after bowling Pakistan out for just 146 in the final of the 2025 Asia Cup in Dubai, losing their top three with just 20 runs on the board. The in-form Abhishek Sharma was the first to depart after chipping the ball to Haris Rauf at mid on off Faheem Ashraf’s bowling, departing for 5 after scoring more than 300 runs in his previous six outings.
LIVE | India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025 Final in Dubai
India captain Suryakumar Yadav had been having a lean patch throughout the tournament, and perished cheaply in the final as well as he mishit the ball towards mid off, where his Pakistani counterpart Salman Agha pulled off a fine low catch, with Shaheen Shah Afridi delivering a breakthrough inside the powerplay.
India would then find themselves under serious pressure after Faheem struck for the second time in as many overs by getting rid of vice-captain Gill, who had collected a morale-boosting boundary in just the previous delivery, only to mishit the ball towards mid-on next ball, with Rauf completing another catch.
Sunny G slams India’s powerplay hara-kiri
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar wasn’t pleased by the manner in which the Indian top-order conducted themselves in the powerplay, especially with senior batters Surya and Gill paying the price for taking a risk too many on a two-paced wicket, especially after losing the tournament’s leading run-scorer cheaply.
“They are taking it casually. I am baffled by this rush by the Indian batters. What is going on? Why are they panicking? India think 146 is no score. Look at Suryakumar Yadav. His feet didn’t move, and he tried to play the shot from the crease. The moment he played the shot, he knew he was in trouble,” Gavaskar said while commentating on the match on Sony Sports Network.
“Indians are throwing away the match,” he added after Gill became Faheem’s second victim inside the powerplay.