India won the match by six wickets with seven balls left, but captain Suryakumar Yadav was thrilled with the play his team made to get their first victory of the season. On Sunday, September 21, India defeated Pakistan in the Super Fours match of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, extending their commanding record against the Pakistani team in T20 internationals.
When questioned about the two teams’ respective standards, Suryakumar was quick to say that the Indians play cricket at a far higher level than the Men in Green. Additionally, he believed that the rivalry between the two countries was no longer relevant because Pakistan had not been able to match the intensity of the match and had lost all three of its games against the Men in Blue.
“I would like to say one thing about this question. I feel you should stop asking about the rivalry. Standards and rivalry are the same,” he continued. “In my opinion, if two teams play 15–20 matches and the head-to-head is 7-7 or 8-7, then that is a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1 [Pakistan have won only 3 out of 15 games against India] – I don’t know the exact stats – this is not a rivalry anymore. But yes, I feel we played better cricket than them,” Suryakumar said at the post-match press conference.
Our choice to bowl first was correct, as the pitch remained the same: Suryakumar
For those who are unfamiliar, the Indians chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Despite the Pakistani team’s impressive start, they lost steam in the middle and set a goal of 172 runs after 20 overs. Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, the openers, turned the tide entirely in their favour in the reply by extending their century-long partnership for the first wicket. Suryakumar therefore believed that his choice to bowl first was ideal.
“I believe that I made the choice to bowl first at the toss because I believed that the wicket would stay the same for the full 40 overs. It was the same, too. After that, there wasn’t much of a break. Additionally, the wicket always performs better under the lights,” he stated.
The next match between India and Bangladesh is scheduled. Following their respective victories in the Super Fours opening game, both teams will be competing. The game is scheduled to take place in Dubai on Thursday. However, Pakistan’s next match is scheduled for Tuesday at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, when they will play Sri Lanka. The team led by Salman Ali Agha would be eliminated from the competition if they lose this match.
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