(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Asia Cup 2025: Four Key Lessons from Pakistan’s Loss to India
Dubai: Another Pakistan vs India clash in the Asia Cup 2025 brought drama, intensity, and a reminder of the gap between the two sides. India displayed composure and skill to claim a comfortable win, while Pakistan’s young team struggled with big-match pressure.
Here are four major takeaways from the game:
1. Backfiring Intent
Pakistan’s batters struggled to balance aggression with caution. Saim Ayub, dismissed early while attempting an ambitious shot against Jasprit Bumrah, once again failed to provide the impactful start expected of him. Mohammad Haris, after a promising innings against Oman, also fell cheaply trying to attack Hardik Pandya.
While attacking intent is important, poor shot selection in pressure situations left the top order exposed.
2. Sahibzada Farhan – The Lone Fighter
Sahibzada Farhan stood tall with a gritty 40 off 44 deliveries, showing glimpses of class against Bumrah and other bowlers. His two sixes highlighted his talent, but as wickets tumbled around him, his momentum slowed. Without support from senior players, his resistance could not turn the tide.
3. Poor Shot Selection from Seniors
Experienced players such as Fakhar Zaman and skipper Salman Ali Agha fell to questionable shots. Fakhar misread Axar Patel, while Salman mistimed a sweep against the spinner. Hasan Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf also gifted wickets, leaving Pakistan reeling.
Ironically, Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late cameo — 33 runs off 16 balls with four sixes — proved the pitch had enough for clean hitters. Pakistan’s specialist batters failed to take advantage.
4. India’s Ruthless Approach
India showed why they remain one of the most dangerous T20 sides. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma’s 56-run stand ensured a smooth chase, while Abhishek Sharma signaled intent with a boundary off the very first ball.
Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav once again troubled Pakistan with his clever wrist-spin, picking key wickets at crucial stages. Despite Saim Ayub’s three scalps with the ball, India’s depth and execution made the difference.
What’s Next for Pakistan?
The loss was a setback, but Pakistan are still in contention for the Super Four stage. If they qualify, another meeting with India awaits — offering a chance to bounce back and level the score in this heated rivalry.
✅ Summary: Pakistan’s batting collapse, poor shot selection, and India’s ruthless performance decided the game. With another clash likely in the Super Four, the Green Shirts will need sharper execution to turn things around.
