India clinched its ninth Asia Cup title on Sunday, defeating Pakistan in a thrilling final held at the Dubai International Stadium. Following the victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate the team, remarking, "Operation Sindoor on the games field. The outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers".
The Prime Minister's statement alludes to "Operation Sindoor," drawing a parallel between India's sporting success and its strategic military operations. In this context, it is likely a reference to a recent counter-terrorism operation. The Prime Minister's congratulatory message quickly gained traction, framing the win not only as a sporting achievement but also as a symbolic victory in the ongoing rivalry between the two nations.
In a nail-biting contest, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets. Pakistan, after being sent in to bat first, were bowled out for a modest 146 in 19.1 overs. India chased down the target with two balls to spare, finishing at 147/5. Tilak Varma was the star of the chase, scoring an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls.
Pakistan's innings began strongly, with openers Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35) putting on an 84-run partnership. However, a remarkable collapse followed, triggered by Kuldeep Yadav's inspired spell of 4/30. Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for a mere 33 runs. Varun Chakaravarthy (2/30), Axar Patel (2/26) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) also contributed with the ball.
India's chase was initially shaky, with Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill falling cheaply. At 20/3, India was under pressure, but Tilak Varma orchestrated the chase with crucial partnerships. He first paired with Sanju Samson, and then Shivam Dube, who added a quick 33 off 22, sharing a crucial 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket. With India needing 10 runs off the final over, Varma hit a six, and Rinku Singh sealed the victory with a boundary.
This victory marks India's third win against Pakistan in the tournament. They had previously won the group stage game by seven wickets and the Super 4 clash by six wickets. This Asia Cup win is India's ninth title in the tournament's history.
Abhishek Sharma was named the player of the tournament.
