India Vs Pakista in Asia Cup final
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mMydZM4-R8vCWS11qt19_hYb-4mIhod95CfEPmqg4dlIhSmk_" width="320" />Context & Background
* For the first time in Asia Cup history, **India and Pakistan faced each other in the final** of the tournament. ([India Today][1])
* Pakistan secured their spot in the final by defeating Bangladesh by 11 runs in their last Super Four match. ([The Times of India][2])
* India had already qualified earlier, especially after a convincing win over Bangladesh in their Super Four fixture. ([The Times of India][3])
* The final was played at the **Dubai International Cricket Stadium**. ([Cricbuzz][4])
* Toss time was scheduled at 7:30 PM IST, and the match was to begin at 8:00 PM IST. ([Business Standard][5])
This stage set up what many fans hoped would be an epic match — two archrivals, high stakes, and intense emotions already surrounding the fixture.
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## The Final Match — Key Moments & Flow
### Pakistan innings
* Pakistan batted first and were bowled out for **146 in 19.1 overs**. ([Cricbuzz][4])
* At one point, Pakistan were quite comfortable: their top order got them to **113 runs for 1 wicket**. ([AP News][6])
* But then a collapse followed: their **last nine wickets fell for just 33 runs**. ([AP News][6])
* India’s Kuldeep Yadav was exceptional, claiming **4 wickets for 30 runs** in the innings. ([Reuters][7])
* Other bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel chipped in with 2 wickets each. ([AP News][6])
### India’s chase & heroics
* India’s run chase got off to a shaky start. They lost **3 wickets early**, finding themselves at 20/3. ([The Times of India][8])
* **Tilak Varma** was the star. He played a composed, match-defining knock, finishing **unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls**. ([AP News][6])
* He mixed patience and aggression: he struck **3 fours and 4 sixes** in his innings. ([ABC][9])
* Another important contributor was **Shivam Dube**, who played a quickfire 33 off 22 balls. His partnership with Varma (≈60 runs) steadied the innings. ([The Times of India][8])
* India achieved the target of 147 with just **2 balls to spare**, finishing at 150/5 in 19.4 overs. ([Cricbuzz][4])
### Final result & honors
* **India won by 5 wickets**. ([Cricbuzz][4])
* **Player of the Match**: Tilak Varma ([Cricbuzz][4])
* **Player of the Series**: Abhishek Sharma ([Cricbuzz][4])
This was a tense finish, and many considered Varma’s innings to be one of the defining knocks in recent India–Pakistan showdowns.
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## Off-Field Drama & Controversies
This final was not just about cricket — it came with quite a few contentious moments and gestures:
* Throughout the tournament, Indian players had **refused to shake hands** with their Pakistani counterparts. ([Reuters][10])
* At the presentation ceremony, India **refused to accept the trophy and medals from Mohsin Naqvi**, who is both the President of the Asian Cricket Council and Pakistan’s Interior Minister / PCB chairman. ([Reuters][7])
* The trophy handover was delayed and eventually truncated; Indian players walked off without formally lifting the trophy. ([Reuters][7])
* Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav later stated that his team felt “**denied**” the trophy and that their real trophies were their teammates and efforts. ([Reuters][10])
These controversies underlined how political tensions and national sentiments still heavily color the India–Pakistan cricket rivalry.
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## Significance & Legacy
* This was a **historic final** — never before had India and Pakistan met in an Asia Cup final in its long history. ([India Today][1])
* The match reinforced India’s dominance in T20 contests against Pakistan during this tournament (India won all three meetings). ([Reuters][7])
* The final will be remembered not just for the cricket, but for the strong statements made off the field, making it more than just a game.
* Tilak Varma’s knock will go down as one of the defining innings in India vs Pakistan high-stakes matches.