India’s 5-Wicket Chuckle-Fest: Pak’s 146 Turns into a Diwali Party at Asia Cup 2025 Final!
By Raj the Cricket Nut, still giggling at Pakistan’s collapse and India’s wobbly waltz. Published: September 29, 2025, 12:30 AM IST
Cricket crazies, it’s now past midnight on September 29, 2025, and the Dubai International Cricket Stadium just threw the wildest Diwali bash at the Asia Cup 2025 Final! India, after bossing the toss and bowling first, turned Pakistan’s 146 all out into a five-wicket victory party, chasing 150 in 19.4 overs with more drama than a Bollywood plot twist. Kuldeep Yadav’s 4/30 spun Pakistan into a 33/9 tailspin, while Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 off 53 steadied India’s wobbly ship after early stumbles. From Sahibzada Farhan’s 57 and Fakhar Zaman’s 46 to Shivam Dube’s cameo 33, this was less a final, more a comedy caper with fireworks and facepalms. With India clinching their 9th Asia Cup title, let’s laugh through the lunacy of this Indo-Pak rollercoaster – grab your mithai and a giggle as we unpack the madness!
Toss Trick and Teams: SKY’s Spin Spin-Sational Start
Suryakumar Yadav flipped a coin and outsmarted Salman Agha, choosing to bowl under Dubai’s lights – a move that turned the pitch into a spinner’s playground faster than you can say “samosa break.” India’s XI was a crackerjack crew: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakaravarthy. Hardik Pandya benched with a niggle, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana on standby, with Gautam Gambhir’s gang grinning from the sidelines.
Pakistan fired back with Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed. Bench had Hasan Ali, Khushdil Shah, and Mohammad Wasim Jr., with Mike Hesson’s posse praying for miracles. Umpires Ahmad Shah Pakteen and Masudur Rahman, Raveendra Wimalasiri third-ump, Richie Richardson ref – all set for the showdown. Weather? Clear skies, dew the sneaky DJ dropping beats.
Pakistan’s Innings: 146 All Out – A Collapse Cracker
Pakistan started with a bang – Sahibzada Farhan’s 57 off 38 (5 fours, 3 sixes, SR 150.00) and Fakhar Zaman’s 46 off 35 (3 fours, 2 sixes, SR 131.43) stitched an 84-run stand. But Varun Chakaravarthy (2/30) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/30) turned it into a fireworks fizzle at 84/1 in 9.4. Saim Ayub’s 14 off 12 (SR 127.27) to Kuldeep at 113/2, Haris’s duck to Axar at 114/3, Zaman at 126/4, Agha’s 8 off 7 to Kuldeep at 133/6, Talat’s 12 off 5 to Axar at 131/5, Shaheen’s duck lbw Kuldeep at 134/7, Ashraf’s duck to Kuldeep at 134/8, Rauf’s 6 off 4 to Bumrah at 141/9, Nawaz’s 6 off 9 to Bumrah at 146/10. Extras 7. Powerplay 45 – boom to bust!
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuldeep Yadav | 4 | 0 | 30 | 4 | 7.50 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 3.1 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 7.90 |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | 4 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 7.50 |
| Axar Patel | 4 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 6.50 |
| Shivam Dube | 3 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 7.70 |
| Tilak Varma | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 |
India’s Chase: Wobbly Waltz to 150/5 – Tilak Saves the Day
India’s chase was a rollercoaster ride! Abhishek Sharma’s 5 off 6 (SR 83.33) fell to Faheem Ashraf at 7/1 in 1.1. Suryakumar Yadav’s 15 off 0? 15 off 5 (SR 300.00? Data glitch – 15 off 5), caught by Agha off Shaheen at 10/2 in 2.3. Shubman Gill’s 12 off 10 (SR 120.00) to Haris Rauf at 20/3 in 3.6. Sanju Samson’s 24 off 21 (SR 114.29) to Farhan off Abrar at 77/4 in 12.2. Shivam Dube’s 33 off 22 (1 four, 2 sixes, SR 150.00) to Shaheen off Faheem at 137/5 in 18.6. Tilak Varma, the unsung hero, unbeaten 69 off 53 (3 fours, 1 six, SR 130.19), and Rinku Singh’s 4* off 1 (SR 400.00) sealed 150/5 in 19.4. Extras 2 wides. Powerplay 36 – wobble to win!
- Star Batter: Tilak Varma – 69* off 53, SR 130.19, calm in the chaos.
- Key Bowler: Kuldeep Yadav – 4/30, spin king of the collapse.
- Comedy Gold: India’s top-order flop – from 20/3 to 150/5, a Bollywood comeback!
The Bigger Bang: 9th Title and Hilarious Highlights
India’s 5-wicket win (150/5 chasing 146) clinches their 9th Asia Cup, unbeaten streak intact. Pakistan’s 146? A spin-induced snooze. Kuldeep’s 4-fer and Tilak’s 69* turned the tide. H2H? India leads 11-3 in T20Is. Buzz: Suryavanshi’s IPL debate, Litton Das’s T20I miss – but tonight, India’s Diwali dazzle reigns. Manhas’s presidency nod adds spice, but the pitch stole the show.
In the end, this final was cricket’s goofy gem: spins, stumbles, and sweet victory. Pak’s flop? A firecracker fizzle. India’s win? A festive feast. Your fave moment? Spill below – let’s celebrate!
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