Abhishek Sharma powers Indian cricket team to win against Pakistan

The Indian cricket team cruised to a six-wicket victory against Pakistan in their first Super 4 game of Asia Cup 2025 as Abhishek Sharma lit up the Dubai Cricket Stadium with a match-winning innings on Sunday.

Put into bat first, the Pakistan cricket team put on a competitive 171/5 in their 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan’s 58 off 45 powered the two-time Asia Cup champions to their highest first innings score against India.

In reply, Abhishek Sharma (74 off 39) and Shubman Gill (47 off 28) put on a 105-run opening partnership in 59 balls to set the tone for India, who pulled off their highest chase against Pakistan in 18.5 overs.

Pakistan made a brisk start with Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan opening the innings. Zaman fell to Hardik Pandya in the third over but Saim Ayub - coming in after three successive ducks - stitched a partnership of 72 off 49 balls with Farhan to keep the scoring rate near nine an over.

After getting to 55/1 in the powerplay - Pakistan’s best of the tournament - Ayub and Farhan carried the momentum to take their team to 91/1 at the halfway stage.

With India’s frontline attack struggling to make inroads, skipper Suryakumar Yadav turned to Shivam Dube. The move paid off as the all-rounder’s clever changes of pace removed Ayub in the 11th over and Farhan on the first ball of the 15th.

Pakistan went six overs without a boundary, managing just 30 runs between overs 11 and 16. Faheem Ashraf’s late flourish - 20 from eight balls - lifted Pakistan to 171, with 50 runs coming in the last four overs. It was their highest total against India when batting first in T20Is.

For India, Jasprit Bumrah endured a rare off day, finishing with 0/45 - his third-most expensive spell in T20Is.

India, however, had a great start with Abhishek Sharma kicking off the innings with a six off a short ball bowled by Shaheen Afridi.

India ended the powerplay at 69/0 - their best against Pakistan - with both Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill showing their range of shots.

Abhishek brought up his half-century in 24 balls in the eighth over with a boundary in the cover region.

The pair completed the 100-run partnership in the ninth over. Faheem Ashraf broke the partnership in the next over, cleaning up Shubman Gill’s off stump with a cross-seamed delivery.

Abhishek Sharma was dismissed in the 13th over, leaving India to get just 49 off 46 deliveries.

Though Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for a duck, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya ensured India got past the finishing line with seven balls to spare.

Earlier in the group stage, India chased down Pakistan’s 128-run target with seven wickets and 25 balls to spare. India finished top Group A with three wins out of three, while Pakistan finished second with two victories.

India will play Bangladesh next in their second match of the Super 4 Stage on Wednesday.

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