Head coach Gautam Gambhir summed up India’s hard-fought five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final with a simple yet powerful message: “In the end, INTENT always wins!”
The triumph at the Dubai International Stadium marked India’s ninth Asia Cup title and showcased the team’s grit, character, and ability to perform under pressure.
Unlike their previous encounters, India had to battle hard to chase down a modest target of 147. Early wickets left Suryakumar Yadav’s side reeling at 20/3 in just four overs. Tilak Varma steadied the ship with a composed half-century, injecting the momentum needed to guide India past the finish line. Valuable contributions from Sanju Samson (24 off 21) and Shivam Dube (33 off 22) ensured India sealed the victory in the final over, leaving them unbeaten in the tournament.
ICC chairman Jay Shah congratulated the team on X: “Congratulations to #TeamIndia on lifting the Asia Cup 2025! A proud moment for Indian cricket as Team India showcases excellence, consistency, and character on the biggest stage. Kudos to the players and support staff for a stellar campaign.”
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla praised Tilak’s stellar display: “The undefeated champions of ASIA. Congratulations, Team India, on a dominating win and 3-0 against Pak. Marvellous display by Tilak Verma and @imkuldeep18. A great show under pressure.”
Former BCCI President and captain Sourav Ganguly also shared his delight: “Well done India on a great nite ..under pressure a much better team with the ball and then with the bat .. These young boys are brilliant.”
Kuldeep Yadav reflected on the final’s challenge, tweeting: “Finals are meant to test you, proud of how we stood tall last night.” The leg-spinner’s prowess was evident throughout the tournament as he finished as India’s highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps at an average of 9.29, while Varun Chakravarthy chipped in with seven wickets at 20.42.
A well-crafted half-century from Tilak, supported by crucial partnerships with Samson and Dube, helped Team India secure their second T20I Asia Cup title and overall ninth Asia Cup trophy, including ODI editions. Under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy, India continues to dominate T20Is, winning 18 and losing just two, with two matches tied since he first took the armband.
On India’s victory over Pakistan, Rajeev Shukla told ANI: “I always had faith in the Indian Cricket Team. We are Asia Cup Champions.”
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