Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan blown away by Abhishek Sharma storm in Dubai as India ease to six-wicket victory

Chasing Pakistan's 172, the left-handed opener blazed his way to a delightful 74 off 39 balls to anchor India's chase.

Dubai: Dubai: How do you respond to putting down a catch off the third ball of the match? With a match-winning half-century, of course.

Abhishek Sharma shelled Sahibzada Farhan off Hardik Pandya, a regulation offering, at third man with not a run on the board. The 25-year-old left-hander, who gave Farhan another life off Kuldeep Yadav later in the innings, decided to make amends with a crunchy half-century, helping India begin their Super Four campaign in the T20 Asia Cup on a winning note at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan started and ended their batting innings with a flourish after being put in by Suryakumar Yadav, capitalising on a rare off-day for Jasprit Bumrah to post 171 for five.

It was decidedly sub-par, given that they had reached 91 for one at the halfway stage, but with Abhishek in full cry and Shubman Gill rediscovering his best, even 15 or 20 more might not have sufficed.

The two friends joined hands in an entertaining, action-packed and eye-catching stand of 105 for the opening wicket, off a mere 59 deliveries. India did suffer a few setbacks from there on, including losing Suryakumar for a duck, but the momentum and the volume of runs that the openers had provided meant they were under no real pressure.

Tilak Varma applied the finishing touches with a six and a four off Shaheen Shah Afridi, muscling India to their seventh successive win against Pakistan, by six wickets.

Abhishek laid down the marker with a six off the first ball of the chase, from Afridi that he deposited over fine-leg. It was the cue for a hectic passage of play, Gill unfurling delectable fours all around the park and Abhishek mocking the length of the boundaries with crisp ball-striking. There were no handshakes again but plenty of needle, Abhishek and Haris Rauf, who bowled superbly, getting into a pow-wow that needed the umpires to step in and calm things down.

Having been dismissed in the 30s in all three previous hits, Abhishek rattled to his 50 in just 24 deliveries; the 100 came up in 8.4 overs and India were coasting when a break in play and a terrific break-back from Faheem Ashraf accounted for Gill. India were rocked by the dismissal of Suryakumar in the next over, but even though Abhishek fell to catch in the deep and Sanju Samson to a terrible hoick, they had enough in the tank as they coasted home with seven deliveries to spare.

Fakhar Zaman, promoted ahead of Saim Ayub to partner Farhan, played some handsome strokes in the night before Pandya had him caught behind, after which Pakistan’s second-wicket pair made merry, helped by shoddy catching and tardy fielding. There was great urgency in running between the wickets as Farhan and Ayub added 72 for the second wicket when Abhishek held on to an excellent catch, running in from deep backward square, to send Ayub packing off Shivam Dube.

Dube’s medium-pace brought India two for 16 in three overs, Pakistan’s innings going boundary-less between overs 9.3 and 17.1. Ashraf was primarily responsible for 43 coming off the final three overs as he tucked into the bowling during an eight-ball 20 not out. Among those who received punishment was Bumrah. The ace in India’s pack conceded 34 in his first three overs, the most runs he has been taken for in the Powerplay in all 20-over cricket, and finished with disappointing figures of none for 45, but the others rallied around him.

Then, storm Abhishek struck Dubai, and swept Pakistan away in its wake.