Asia Cup: Abhishek hits scintillating 74 as India clinch six-wicket win over Pakistan (ld)

Dubai, Sep 22 (IANS) Opener Abhishek Sharma smashed a scintillating 74 off 39 balls as India clinched a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in a Super Fours clash of the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.

The result also marked India’s highest successful chase against Pakistan in T20Is, as the reigning world champions maintained their unbeaten run in the competition. Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 58, while Faheem Ashraf added late impetus with an unbeaten 20 off eight balls, as Pakistan posted 171/5 in their 20 overs.

India’s pursuit of 172 began with intent as Abhishek hooked the very first ball from Shaheen Shah Afridi for six, setting the tone for a dominant chase. Alongside Shubman Gill, who hit a brisk 47 off 28 deliveries, the duo stitched a match-defining 105-run opening stand that left Pakistan searching for answers.

Despite a brief lull, Tilak Varma ensured a smooth finish to the chase with an unbeaten 30 off 19 balls, as India reached home with seven balls to spare. Both Varma and Pandya quietly walked off without shaking hands with the Pakistani side and entered the Indian dressing room, full of jubilation.

India’s chase began on the front foot as Abhishek hooked Shaheen Shah Afridi’s bouncer over fine leg for six. Gill got going by sweeping and cutting Saim Ayub for consecutive boundaries before lofting and flaying Afridi for another brace of fours.

Tension simmered when Gill pointed towards Afridi at the end of the third over, indicating where he had just struck him. Abhishek then tore into Abrar Ahmed, pulling and swinging for four and six, before both openers picked up a boundary each off Rauf.

After Abhishek heaved Ayub for four, Gill late-cut him through the gap between point and short third man, before rocking back to unleash a short-arm pull through mid-wicket for his boundaries, as India ended the powerplay at 69/0 – the best score in this phase of the ongoing competition.

Abhishek carted Abrar for two sixes - one dropped by Sahibzada Farhan at long-off - and brought up his fifty in just 24 balls with a perfectly timed cover-drive for four off Ayub. But just after an early drinks break, taken as Gill received treatment for cramps, Pakistan struck twice in quick succession.

Faheem Ashraf jagged one back sharply to castle Gill through the gate, while a fat leading edge off Suryakumar Yadav’s flick was caught at deep third man off Rauf’s bowling.

Abhishek shook off a brief post-fifty lull by collecting two boundaries off Ashraf, and then lofted Abrar over wide long-on for six. But he soon mistimed a pull off the wrist spinner’s wide googly and holed out to long-on.

With India needing only 49 off 46 balls, Varma and Sanju Samson hung around to keep the scoreboard ticking. Though a scratchy Samson was castled by Rauf, Tilak and Hardik Pandya nudged the ball around calmly for boundaries to take India home.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 171/5 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 58, Saim Ayub 21; Shivam Dube 2-33, Hardik Pandya 1-29) lost to India 174/4 in 18.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 74, Shubman Gill 47; Haris Rauf 2-26, Faheem Ashraf 1-31) by six wickets

--IANS

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