Dubai, September 22 : India continued its dominance over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 with a clinical six-wicket win in the Super 4 clash on Sunday. While the result on the field was one-sided, the moments after the match caught as much attention as the action itself.
In a marked change from the previous encounter, head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen calling players to the boundary post-match, asking them to greet and shake hands with the match officials, a symbolic gesture that contrasted the team’s earlier stance in their group stage clash, where they had skipped the post-game handshake.
India Beats Pakistan Again, Gambhir Reintroduces Handshakes , Suryakumar Yadav in Spotlight
In India’s earlier meeting with Pakistan, players had deliberately avoided customary handshakes, citing solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terror attacks and in support of Operation Sindoor. That message had been echoed strongly by captain Suryakumar Yadav, who had dedicated the victory to the Indian armed forces and families affected by the violence.
This time, Gambhir’s gesture appeared to steer the team back toward sporting convention, even as the political undercurrent remained close to the surface.
Dominant Display on the Field
India chased down a target of 172 in just 18.5 overs, thanks to a commanding opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, who put on 105 runs in 8.4 overs.
Abhishek scored 74 off 39 deliveries, striking six fours and five sixes in a powerful display, while Gill contributed a fluent 47 from 28 balls.
After both openers departed, and Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for a duck, Tilak Varma (30) and Hardik Pandya (7)** guided India home with ease, ending at 174/4.
Bowling Highlights
India’s bowlers had earlier done well to contain Pakistan to 171/6, despite a solid second-wicket stand of 72 runs between Sahibzada Farhan (58) and Saim Ayub (21). Shivam Dube made key breakthroughs to break the partnership and tilt the momentum in India’s favour.
Suryakumar’s Sharp Response in the Post-Match Presser
After the match, Suryakumar Yadav once again made headlines — this time, not for a statement on external events, but for a blunt comment on the India-Pakistan “rivalry.”
Responding to a question about Pakistan’s performance, he diverted the conversation to challenge the notion of a rivalry itself. Without mentioning exact statistics, he suggested that repeated one-sided results do not reflect true sporting competition, and that the India-Pakistan contest has lost the balance that defines a traditional rivalry.
His remarks were firm and deliberate, reflecting a shift in tone from last week’s emotional dedication to the armed forces.
A Victory Beyond the Scoreline
India’s back-to-back wins against Pakistan have not only strengthened their position in the tournament but also sparked broader conversations — from gestures of sportsmanship to evolving political messaging and questions around the India-Pakistan cricket dynamic.
With Gambhir guiding the players to reconnect with match officials post-game, and Suryakumar steering the conversation in the media room, India’s cricketing narrative in the Asia Cup is playing out both on and off the field.
