Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma during the match against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill put on a scintillating show of strokeplay at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday (September 22, 2025) to extend India’s imposing record against Pakistan in T20Is.
IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 highlights
Having beaten the arch-rival by seven wickets in a Group-A meeting of the Asia Cup last weekend, the margin of victory was six wickets on this occasion as the Men in Blue chased down 172 in 18.5 overs to kick off the Super Four phase on the perfect note.
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Abhishek (74, 39b, 6×4, 5×6) and Gill (47, 28b, 8×4), the best of mates since their under-12 days in Punjab, treated the spectators to a spellbinding mixture of exquisite timing and brutal hitting in an opening stand worth 105 runs. That the two batters engaged in fiery verbal exchanges with the Pakistan bowlers reflected the tension amid the handshake row that erupted last Sunday. The players did not exchange handshakes before or after this game either.
Abhishek, as is his wont, started the chase with a pull off Shaheen Afridi that went for six. Whether it was pace from Afridi and Haris Rauf or spin from Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub thereafter, the Indian openers effortlessly dispatched the big hits. The left-handed Abhishek would bring up his fifty with a drive off Saim through cover for four.
By the time Faheem Ashraf’s inducker dislodged Gill’s stumps in the 10th over, India was well on its way to victory — its seventh in a row against Pakistan in white-ball cricket. While Abhishek departed a little later, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya saw the chase through.
In Pakistan’s total of 171 for five, Sahibzada Farhan was the main contributor with a 45-ball 58. Shivam Dube was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4-0-33-2. Jasprit Bumrah, who conceded 45 runs, had a rare off-day.
India’s catching on the day was off the mark. While Abhishek dropped Farhan on zero, Kuldeep Yadav offered a reprieve to Saim at short fine leg. Farhan and Saim went on to stitch a 72-run alliance for the second wicket. Gill was guilty of dropping Faheem in the 19th over.
Pakistan had the better of the early exchanges. Greater attacking intent, in sync with the requirements of the format, took it to 55 for one after six overs — its highest-ever score against India in the PowerPlay in T20Is.
Once Fakhar Zaman departed after a brisk start, Farhan took charge by notably dictating terms against Bumrah. Four fours from the 29-year-old’s willow, via a disdainful drive and some pugnacious pulls, meant the spearhead was taken for 34 runs in his first three overs. In the previous encounter, the Indian spinners had squeezed the Pakistan batters through the middle phase. But Farhan and Saim didn’t quite allow the spin triumvirate to get on top.
The stand was eventually broken by Dube in the 11th over. The breakthrough helped India pull things back nicely in the second half of the innings. The medium-pacer from Mumbai snared his second scalp when the well-set Farhan skied an off-cutter to Suryakumar Yadav at cover in the 15th over. It contributed to another emphatic win by the end of the night.
Published – September 22, 2025 12:33 am IST
