Tag Archives: India vs Pakistan

Asia Cup: Kuldeep, Axar And Suryakumar Shine As India Outclass Pakistan In Dubai

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Dubai, Sep 14:  India marked their biggest Asia Cup statement yet with a commanding seven-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, as skipper Suryakumar Yadav starred with an unbeaten 47 on his 35th birthday. Chasing a modest 128, India romped home with 25 balls to spare at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, underscoring their supremacy with bat and ball.

Leading from the front, Suryakumar anchored the chase with characteristic composure, finishing unbeaten alongside Shivam Dube (10*). Earlier, openers Abhishek Sharma (31) and Tilak Varma (31) laid a solid foundation, attacking Pakistan’s bowlers with freedom. The clinical batting ensured India never looked under pressure, despite Saim Ayub’s triple strikes providing brief resistance.

The post-match atmosphere reflected the wider diplomatic frost between the neighbours. Once again, there were no handshakes exchanged between players, a symbolic reminder that this was more than just a sporting contest. The political shadow has turned cricket into yet another arena of silent hostility, even in Dubai’s neutral setting.

Spin dictates Pakistan’s struggle

Earlier in the evening, India’s spinners continued their dominance. Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) dismantled Pakistan’s middle order, while Varun Chakaravarthy (1/24) maintained pressure on a sluggish surface. Pakistan never recovered after early blows, with only Sahibzada Farhan (40) showing resistance before Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late fireworks (33* off 16) salvaged some respectability.

The match reinforced India’s tactical gamble of fielding just one frontline pacer, trusting their spinners to dictate terms. The move has worked in back-to-back games, highlighting a fresh blueprint ahead of the T20 World Cup year. By contrast, Pakistan’s batting once again appeared fragile against wrist-spin, exposing a recurring weakness in high-stakes encounters.

India in cruise control

This contest, often billed as cricket’s fiercest rivalry, proved one-sided. India’s superior depth, discipline and adaptability stood out, while Pakistan’s overreliance on cameos was ruthlessly exposed. For India, the ease of the win, without major contributions from Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, will be especially reassuring. For Pakistan, the defeat will raise questions about squad balance and their ability to handle spin-heavy attacks.

Brief Scores:
Pakistan: 127/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 40, Shaheen Afridi 33*; Kuldeep Yadav 3/18, Axar Patel 2/18)
India: 131/3 in 15.5 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 47*, Abhishek Sharma 31, Tilak Varma 31; Saim Ayub 3/22)

India won by 7 wickets.

Asia Cup: Kuldeep Spins Web As India Restrict Pakistan To 127/9 In Dubai

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Dubai, Sep 14 — India’s reliance on spinners once again proved decisive in their Asia Cup Group A clash against Pakistan, as Kuldeep Yadav led a disciplined bowling effort to restrict their arch-rivals to a modest 127/9 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

India fielded just one frontline seamer, banking on a three-pronged spin attack. The sluggish surface validated the strategy as Kuldeep (3/18), Axar Patel (2/18) and Varun Chakaravarthy (1/24) choked the run flow and shared six wickets between them. Their combined economy rate stayed under five, leaving Pakistan struggling for momentum throughout the innings.

India struck early when Hardik Pandya dismissed Saim Ayub for a golden duck, followed by Jasprit Bumrah removing Mohammad Haris. Pakistan reached 41/2 in the powerplay, with Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan showing brief resistance. But the introduction of spin turned the tide.

Axar dismissed Zaman and Salman Agha, before Kuldeep tightened the noose further. He outfoxed Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz with sharp variations, then lured Farhan into holing out for 40. By the 15th over, Pakistan’s innings was in tatters, reduced to desperate hitting.

The lone spark came from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who smashed an unbeaten 33 off 16 balls, including a flurry of sixes that lifted Pakistan beyond 120. His counterattack, along with Sufiyan Muqeem’s brief support, ensured the innings avoided complete collapse.

India’s spin-first approach vindicated

The match reinforced India’s growing confidence in spin dominance, even in high-pressure fixtures. With Bumrah and Pandya offering control, the spinners operated with freedom, exploiting Pakistan’s long-standing discomfort against quality wrist spin. Pakistan, by contrast, leaned heavily on individual cameos, underlining a fragile middle order.

India’s chase of 128 should be straightforward, but the tactical win already lies in how Rohit Sharma’s side executed their spin blueprint — an approach that could shape their campaign ahead.

Empty Stands Mar India – Pakistan Asia Cup Clash As Politics Overshadow Cricket

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Dubai, Sep 14: Cricket’s most anticipated rivalry delivered an unusual sight on Sunday as the India–Pakistan Asia Cup clash in Dubai was played before swathes of empty seats. The 25,000-capacity stadium, which usually sells out in minutes for this fixture, saw hundreds of unsold tickets, with terraces visibly sparse despite months of hype.

Local media estimated that attendance fell far short of expectations, leaving broadcasters and sponsors struggling with optics. The muted crowd contrasted with the history of electrifying atmospheres surrounding India–Pakistan matches, long considered the “Super Bowl” of cricket.

The emptiness was not due to lack of interest in cricket but rather the political climate. The match came just months after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed civilians and intensified anti-Pakistan sentiment in India. Calls for boycotts trended widely on social media, with sections of fans urging compatriots not to attend or even watch the game.

Streaming platforms like Hotstar and JioCinema reported heavy traffic, suggesting that fans chose the comfort of digital viewing over stadium attendance. But some analysts noted dips in early TV ratings, indicating that boycott campaigns had some impact. For advertisers, the absence of packed stands diminished brand visibility, even if online eyeballs remained robust.

For cricket administrators, staging the match in Dubai was meant to ensure neutrality and avoid direct political sensitivities. Yet, the optics of empty terraces underscored the limits of “cricket diplomacy.” Organisers balanced commitments to broadcasters and sponsors against public sentiment at home, but the subdued turnout shows how fragile this balance has become.

Sport caught in geopolitics

Sunday’s clash underlined a reality: marquee sporting events involving India and Pakistan no longer exist in isolation. Political violence, social media mobilisation and national mood can directly shape the economics of sport. Empty stands not only hurt revenues but also dent the rivalry’s global aura, once seen as cricket’s most compelling spectacle.

The incident is likely to influence future scheduling, with boards expected to rethink neutral venues, ticketing strategies and even whether such high-stakes matches can continue without explicit political endorsement. Commercial partners will also demand safeguards, recognising that politics is now as crucial a risk factor as on-field performance.

Pakistan raises accidental missile issue at UN; China, US support direct talks

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Despite India’s clarification, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi chose to complain to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on what he said was the “blatant violation of Pakistans airspace by the ‘accidental’ firing of a missile by India on March 9”, reports said.

India’s Defence Ministry had given clarification that in the course of routine maintenance on March 9, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile that landed inside the territory of Pakistan.

However, Pakistan said “multiple shortcomings and technical lapses of a serious nature in India’s management of strategic weapons” was “irresponsible conduct” and needed to be addressed by the international community, including the UN Security Council. Islamabad also insisted on a joint probe of the incident.

Meanwhile, the US and China have urged India and Pakistan to hold direct talks for reducing tensions as both are nuclear-armed nations. “We continue to support direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on issues of concern,” a US State Department official said on Monday, though Washington said it sees no wrong intention behind the mishap.

Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said, “We called on relevant countries to have dialogue and communication as soon as possible and launch a thorough investigation into this incident,” spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing.