For a while, it looked like Pakistan were set to give India a daunting chase in the Asia Cup 2025 final. The way they started was commendable, and after
the onslaught from their openers, it seemed they were truly heading towards a decent total.
At 113 for 1 in the 13th over, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman had India's bowlers under pressure, with the crowd in Dubai bracing for fireworks. A score of 190, maybe even 200, was on the cards.
And then, Pakistan happened. Nine wickets tumbled for just 33 runs. Yes, you read that right. A team cruising at 113/1 with two well-set openers somehow managed to shoot themselves in the foot and crash-land at 146 all out in 19.1 overs.
IND vs PAK: The Grand Collapse Show
Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35) did most of the work, scoring 103 of the 146 runs. Everyone else? Tourists with bats. Mohammad Haris walked in, swung at thin air, and was gone for a golden duck.
Captain Salman Agha thought he'd survive, but Kuldeep Yadav had other ideas. Shaheen Afridi, Faheem Ashraf, and Hussain Talat added a combined 1 run. Yes, one. Between three of them. Haris Rauf briefly swung like he was in a baseball game, smacking a four, but then lost his stumps.
From 200 Dreams to 150 Nightmares
At 113/1, every Pakistani fan was talking about power-hitting and how India would struggle to chase 200 in a final. Just 6 overs later, those same fans were left scratching their heads, watching Pakistan fold faster than cheap lawn chairs.
Kuldeep Yadav (4 for 30) ripped through the middle order like a hot knife through butter. Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel backed him up, ensuring Pakistan never recovered from their self-inflicted implosion. From being on top, Pakistan finished with a total that looked at least 40-50 runs short of par in a Dubai final.
Now, it's India's chase. The only question is: can Pakistan make a match out of it, or was their batting performance already the punchline?
