India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday, September 29. Though Men in Blue's innings began shakily in the first few overs, Tilak Verma’s brilliant knock paved the way for victory. India won the match by 5 wickets, securing their ninth Asia Cup title.
After the defeat, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar launched a scathing attack on the team management and head coach Mike Hesson after Pakistan lost to India in the Asia Cup 2025 final. He said the real issue lay in poor selection decisions and mismanagement.
“Unfortunately, this is not the players’ fault; it is the management’s fault. The middle order problem exists because the right players are not being given opportunities. I would call this senseless coaching. Forgive me for using such words, but it really is stupid coaching. Match-winning players like Hasan Nawaz and Salman Mirza were ignored despite being in the squad. Now the situation has become difficult. I am very disappointed,” Akhtar said.
India vs Pakistan Match Highlights
Pakistan, batting first after winning the toss, started aggressively. Their first wicket fell at 84 runs when Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed after scoring 57 (38). However, the batting line-up collapsed soon after. Fakhar Zaman (46) and Sam Ayub (14) were the only other players to cross double figures. The rest failed miserably, with three players dismissed for ducks. Captain Salman Ali Agha scored only 8, Hussain Talat 1, Mohammad Nawaz 6, and Haris Rauf 6. Pakistan’s innings ended at 146.
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Chasing 147, India also had a rough start. Abhishek Sharma fell in the second over to Faheem Ashraf. Shubman Gill scored 12, while captain Suryakumar Yadav once again failed, managing just 1 run. Sanju Samson (24) and Tilak Verma steadied the innings with a half-century stand. Later, Shivam Dubey joined Tilak to form another crucial partnership. India needed 17 runs from the final two overs and 10 in the last over. Rinku Singh hit the winning shot, sealing the victory. Tilak Verma remained unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls with 3 fours and 4 sixes, earning the Player of the Match award.
Asia Cup Trophy Controversy
Despite winning, the Indian team did not receive the Asia Cup trophy. The players chose to celebrate without it. While Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha accepted the runner-up cheque from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, Indian players refused to accept the trophy from him. As a result, Naqvi was left embarrassed during the ceremony. BCCI has now issued its first reaction on the matter, stating that the team stood firm on its decision not to receive the title from Mohsin Naqvi.
