Tilak Verma ended the match by hitting Shaheen for a four down to deep backward square-leg and a six over long-off in the 19th over of India’s innings. In 3.5 overs, the latter finished with a pitiful 0/40.
Shaheen Afridi’s performance against India in the 2025 Asia Cup Super-Four match was forgettable. On Sunday, September 21, the lopsided match took place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India, spearheaded by Suryakumar Yadav, took six wickets while chasing down a target of 172 runs in 18.5 overs.
Abhishek Sharma was the standout batsman for India, but Shivam Dube was the hero with the ball, finishing with figures of 2/33 in four overs. The convincing victory was set up by the Punjab opener, who scored 74 off only 39 deliveries. But Tilak Varma, who batted at No. 4 and blasted two fours and as many sixes in his unbroken 30 off 19 balls, was another batsman who stood out for India.
Sunil Gavaskar, the former captain of India, praised Tilak’s skill, saying the southpaw turned Pakistan’s top speedster, Shaheen, into a net-ball spinner.
In his essay for The Sportstar, Gavaskar stated that another exceptionally brilliant batsman, Tilak Varma, “finally treated Pakistan’s top bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, like a net-ball spinner and smashed him around to wrap up a win with deliveries to spare.”
In the ongoing Asia Cup, Pakistan lost to India for the second time. In a match in the tournament’s Group A, Salman Ali Agha and company fell to the Men in Blue by seven wickets.
Pakistan will now want to resume their winning ways when they play Sri Lanka at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, September 23. The team that loses this match will virtually be out of the running for the championship. In Dubai, the Lankan Lions lost against Bangladesh by four wickets to begin their Super-Four campaign.
India
