STAFF CORRESPONDENT

India overcame Pakistan by five wickets in a thrilling final that went to the last over to lift a record-extending ninth Asia Cup title at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Tilak Varma was the star of the show, guiding India to 150-5 in 19.4 overs with an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls, with Sanju Samson (34 off 21) and Shivam Dube (33 off 22) playing second fiddle.

Pakistan’s medium pacer Fahim Ashraf took 3-29, including two wickets in the Powerplay, but it was not enough to stop India from becoming undefeated champions.

Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 146 in 19.1 overs after a dramatic batting collapse which saw them lose nine wickets for 33 runs.

Openers Sahibzada Farhan (57 off 38 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (46 off 35) had set up a great base for their side with an 84-run stand off 58 deliveries, but India’s deadly spin-trio led by Kuldeep Yadav (4-30) kept Pakistan to a modest total.

Sent in to bat, Pakistan did not lose a wicket in the Powerplay for the first time in the tournament, making 45 runs in the first six overs.

After Varun Chakravarthy (2-30) dismissed Sahibzada to break the opening stand, Fakhar and Saim Ayub sustained that momentum, adding 29 runs off 19 balls for the second wicket. But once Kuldeep dismissed Saim (14 off 11) in the 13th over, the floodgates opened.

Three wickets fell in the following three overs, and in the 17th, Kuldeep struck thrice, removing captain Salman Agha (eight off seven), Sheen Afridi (0) and Faheem Ashraf (0) as Pakistan went from 113-2 to 134-8.

Chasing 147, India had their worst Powerplay in the tournament, making 36-3, which included the wicket of the dangerous Abhishek Sharma (five off six balls).

Tilak then took control of the chase, first steadying the ship with a 57-run stand with Sanju and then a calculated a 60-run stand off 40 balls with Dube.

Pakistan had a chance to run Tilak out on 37 but wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris took ages to dislodge the bails and the batter, with a desperate dive, made it home.

When 10 was needed off the last over from Haris Rauf, Tilak hit the fourth six of his innings off the second ball and Rinku Singh got India over the line with a four.