'Game speaks, not words'.
Fireworks weren't limited to the bat and ball when India and Pakistan met in their Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash in Dubai -- tempers flared, words were exchanged, and emotions spilled over in a heated contest that India ultimately dominated.
While India once again asserted its dominance with both bat and ball, Pakistan resorted to mind games in an attempt to unsettle the Indian players. Pacer Haris Rauf was at the centre of the storm, making provocative gestures near the boundary rope and engaging in heated exchanges with Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill in the middle.
But Pakistan's aggression backfired. Abhishek and Gill responded in the best possible way -- by letting their bats do the talking. The duo stitched a record-breaking 105 run opening partnership that paved the way for India's comfortable 6 wicket win.
Tensions had boiled over earlier in the innings. In the fifth over, Gill played a short-arm jab that raced away for four and then gestured towards Shaheen Afridi to show where the ball had gone, sparking tempers.
Moments later, Abhishek and Rauf clashed in a verbal exchange that forced Umpire Gazi Sohel to intervene.
Undeterred, the Indian openers carried on. Abhishek hammered 74 off just 39 balls, while Gill added 47 off 28 to lay the perfect foundation for India.
After the match, Gill summed up India's approach with a crisp four word post on X, 'Game speaks, not words', he wrote, sharing a few pictures from the contest.
Speaking after being named Player of the Match, Abhishek didn't hold back about Pakistan's on-field antics.
'Today was pretty simple, the way they (Pakistani bowlers) were coming out to us without any reason, I did not like it at all. That is why I went after them. I wanted to deliver for the team,' he said.
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