India beat Pakistan by five wickets in Asia Cup final

DUBAI: India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
India chased down the 147-run target in the final over, losing five wickets. Tilak Varma top-scored with 69 runs to guide his team to victory over Pakistan.
Abhishek Sharma was dismissed by Faheem Ashraf for 5, while Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was sent back to the pavilion by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Earlier, Pakistan set 147 runs for India to win the final of the Asia Cup.
Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman provided a solid foundation, but Farhan was dismissed after scoring 57 runs, while Fakhar departed for 46 runs, Saim Ayub managed 14, and Mohammad Haris fell for a duck.
Spinners bring India back to game as Pakistan lose 9 wickets for just 34 runs.
Kuldeep Yadav claimed four wickets, while Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets each.
Once again, the two teams did not shake hands after the toss, but there was a unique change this time: Pakistani captain Salman Ali Agha was interviewed by a Pakistani commentator, while Suryakumar Yadav spoke to an Indian commentator.
Pakistan made no changes to their squad for the final, while India dropped Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, bringing back fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube.
However, India suffered a major setback as all-rounder Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the match against Pakistan due to injury, with Rinku Singh included as his replacement.
Cricket fans across the globe are eagerly awaiting the high-stakes match, with expectations riding high on the Pakistani side. Calls for “bold leadership” have been directed at Salman Ali Agha, while star performers like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub are being looked at as potential game-changers.
Pakistan qualified for the final after defeating Bangladesh by 11 runs in a crucial Super Four match, effectively a semi-final. Historically, Pakistan and India have faced each other in five tournament finals across various competitions. Pakistan leads this rivalry with three wins, while India has emerged victorious twice.
TICKET PRICES
The minimum ticket price for the Asia Cup final has been set at 350 dirhams (around Rs26,817), for seats in the upper stands. Pavilion seats are priced at 900 dirhams (equal to about Rs68,958).
For premium experiences, ticket prices climb significantly. Special hospitality passes began at 1,500 dirhams (approximately Rs114,930). Other exclusive categories were sold at 3,500 dirhams, 6,000 dirhams, 8,000 dirhams, and a top-tier rate of 11,000 dirhams (nearly Rs842,820), reflecting the soaring demand for the high-voltage contest.
ROAD TO THE FINAL
Pakistan secured their spot in the final after edging out Bangladesh by 11 runs in a gripping contest.
India, on the other hand, clinched qualification in dramatic fashion. In the Super Four stage, their final clash with Sri Lanka ended in a thrilling tie after both sides fought fiercely. Sri Lanka, chasing 203, finished on 202 thanks to a dazzling 107 from Pathum Nissanka. The deadlock led to a Super Over, where India swiftly chased down the modest three-run target on the very first ball, securing their ticket to Dubai’s grand finale.
SQUADS
Pakistan: Salman Agha (captain), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim.
India: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vice-capt), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.