Suryakumar Yadav dedicates India’s win to the armed forces, celebrates birthday with unbeaten 47*.
Kuldeep Yadav stars with Player-of-the-Match figures of 3/18, sticking to simple plans.
No handshakes exchanged amid diplomatic tensions, adding edge to the rivalry.
India extended their dominance over Pakistan in T20Is with yet another clinical performance in Dubai, sealing a seven-wicket win in the 2025 Asia Cup Group A clash. While Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with a birthday-special unbeaten 47, it was Kuldeep Yadav’s incisive spell that broke the back of Pakistan’s batting lineup.
But the game was equally remembered for its frosty tone — no handshakes at toss or after the match — reflecting the diplomatic tensions off the field.
Dedication to Armed Forces after Pahalgam Tragedy
The game carried emotional undertones in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. At the post-match presentation, India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the win to the armed forces.
“Perfect occasion, taking the time out. We stand by the victims of the families of Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to put a smile on their face,” Suryakumar said.
Frosty Tensions: No Handshakes, Before or After
Sunday’s contest marked the first India–Pakistan meeting since heightened diplomatic tensions earlier this year. The Union Sports Ministry had clarified that India could play Pakistan only in “multilateral international events” and not bilateral series.
That mood carried into the game. At the toss, both captains — Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha — refrained from the customary handshake. After India sealed the chase, SKY and Shivam Dube walked off briskly, with no handshakes exchanged between either set of players or the support staff.
The chill was unmistakable. The absence of camaraderie stood out, leaving the high-profile clash without the usual spirit of sportsmanship.
Kuldeep Yadav’s Simple Formula, Match-Winning Impact
Pakistan, having chosen to bat, never recovered from early blows. Hardik Pandya struck with the very first legal delivery, dismissing Saim Ayub, while Jasprit Bumrah accounted for Mohammad Haris. Wickets fell at regular intervals, with Kuldeep Yadav weaving his magic to claim 3/18.
Speaking afterwards, Kuldeep revealed his mantra: “Nothing much, to be honest. I just try to keep things simple and execute the plans I have. I focus on who’s batting at the crease, what their strengths are, and how they like to play. Then I react accordingly. I had my plans today and just stuck to them.”
He added that his aggressive mindset from the very start gave him an edge: “The first ball is always a wicket-taking ball in my mind. You need to have that mindset — that you can get a wicket straight away. Whether the batter is new to the crease or already set, it’s usually the first time they’re facing me in the game, and that gives me a good chance to get on top.”
Despite being Player of the Match, the spinner remained humble about his craft: “I still feel there’s a lot of improvement needed in my bowling. Sometimes I try too many variations, and I’m learning to manage that better. It’s a process — learning day by day, game by game.”
Shaheen’s Blitz Masks Pakistan’s Collapse
For Pakistan, Sahibzada Farhan’s 40 provided some stability, but the innings never gathered momentum. A late cameo from Shaheen Shah Afridi (33 off 16, 4 sixes) gave their innings some respectability as they finished at 127/9.
India’s spinners dominated on the sluggish Dubai pitch. Alongside Kuldeep’s 3/18, Axar Patel claimed 2/18 and Varun Chakaravarthy 1/24, ensuring Pakistan’s batters never settled.
Suryakumar’s Birthday Special Seals the Game
Chasing 128, India started aggressively through Abhishek Sharma (31 off 13) before Saim Ayub struck thrice to dismiss both openers and Tilak Varma. But the chase never looked under threat.
On his 35th birthday, Suryakumar Yadav anchored the innings with a fluent 47 off 37* and fittingly finished the game with a towering slog sweep six.
“Great feeling and a perfect return gift to India,” SKY smiled at the presentation. “Human tendency that it keeps running in your mind when you think about it (his earlier line about the win being a return gift). You definitely want to win it and when you win it, you have it ready. One box that I always wanted to tick — stay there and bat till the end.”
