Dubai, Sep 29: India's rising star Tilak Varma called his unbeaten 69 off 53 balls in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan "one of the most special knocks of my life" after guiding India to their ninth Asia Cup crown in Dubai on Sunday (September 28).
His calm and composed innings under pressure was the cornerstone of India's successful chase of 147, as the Men in Blue triumphed by five wickets in a match delayed by over an hour due to logistical issues.
Walking in at 10 for two with India under severe pressure, Tilak displayed composure beyond his years. Pakistan's bowlers, led by Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Afridi, had reduced India to 20 for three, but the left-hander absorbed the pressure, rebuilt the innings with Sanju Samson, and later
stitched a match-defining stand with Shivam Dube.
"There was pressure. They were bowling well. They were mixing the pace up. I was just breathing and trying to stay calm. One of the most special knocks of my life. Chak De India," Tilak said during the post-match presentation after being named Player of the Match.
Tilak credited his preparation and conversations with India batting consultant Gautam Gambhir for helping him adapt to tricky surfaces. "We have prepared for every position. You should be flexible. I was prepared to bat at any order. I was backing my game. When the wickets are on the slower side, I have talked to Gauti sir and I have worked hard with him," the Hyderabadi batter revealed.
He also praised the efforts of his partners in the middle. "Fantastic knock from Samson. The way Dube batted under pressure was important for the country," Tilak said.
Meanwhile, opener Abhishek Sharma was named Player of the Tournament for his consistency throughout the competition. Reflecting on his journey, the left-hander said, "Getting into this team after winning the World Cup wasn't easy for any opener. I worked very hard on my game and you need the support of the coach and captain. I was getting that from the start of the tournament. If I get a start, my team should win. Sometimes you are going to fail but you have to follow the process. "
Abhishek also spoke about his attacking mindset, especially in the Powerplay. "If I get the spinners in the Powerplay, I will try to use the field restrictions. Even for premium fast bowlers, I would go from the first ball, no matter who's the bowler," he added.
On the other side, Pakistan captain Salman Agha admitted the defeat was hard to digest. "It is a tough pill to swallow right now. We lost wickets while batting, we were outstanding with the ball but didn't have enough runs on the board. We didn't rotate the strike and lost too many wickets. We have to sort out our batting very soon. They bowled outstandingly well," he said.
The victory gave India their fourth Asia Cup title in the last five editions, continuing their dominance in Asian cricket and reaffirming their credentials as the region's premier T20 side. For Tilak Varma, however, this final will forever be remembered as the night he came of age.
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