DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Diya TV) — India captain Suryakumar Yadav downplayed the hype surrounding the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry after his team beat Pakistan by six wickets in the Asia Cup Super Four clash on Sunday.
India chased down a target of 172 in 18.5 overs, led by a blistering 74 from opener Abhishek Sharma. Despite the win, the players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, continuing a pattern seen in their recent encounters.
This was India’s second win over Pakistan in the tournament in a week and their 12th victory in 15 T20 internationals against their longtime rivals.
When asked if the dominance suggested the rivalry was fading, Suryakumar gave a blunt response. “You guys should stop asking questions about the rivalry between India and Pakistan,” he said. “According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches and it is even, then it is a rivalry. 13-0, 10-1… I don’t know what the stat is, but this is not a rivalry anymore.”
For context, Pakistan’s last win over India in T20 internationals came in the 2022 Asia Cup in Dubai. The two sides only meet in multinational tournaments, as bilateral series have been stalled since 2012 due to political tensions.
India’s win was powered by a 105-run opening stand between Sharma and Shubman Gill in just 9.5 overs. “I think we were better than them, and also from a bowling point of view,” Suryakumar said. He also praised Sharma for his calm approach. “He knows what is required of him, what bowlers are going to bowl, that’s a plus point. He is learning with every game.”
Pakistan’s innings featured a strong 58 from opener Sahibzada Farhan off 45 balls. However, after a fast start of 93-1 in 9.3 overs, Pakistan struggled to accelerate, finishing with 171-5.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha admitted his team fell short. “We have yet to play a perfect game in this event,” he said. “After being 91 in 10 overs, we lost our way, but 171 was still a challenging total. We need to play a perfect game in all three departments.”
Suryakumar identified the turning point as Pakistan’s innings reached the halfway mark at 91 for 1. “People changed their body language after the first drinks break. The game generally changes after the power play, but today it changed after ten overs,” he said. Strategic bowling adjustments helped India slow Pakistan’s scoring, producing just 38 runs in the next seven overs.
Shivam Dube played a critical role with the ball, taking 2 wickets for 33 runs. It was only the third time in his 38-match T20 career that he bowled his full quota of overs. Dube’s dismissals of Saim Ayub and Farhan broke key partnerships. Suryakumar highlighted Dube’s hard work and preparation. “He always wanted to bowl at least two overs. Today he got to bowl his quota, and he delivered perfectly for the team,” he said.
Jasprit Bumrah had an off-day, conceding 45 runs in four overs after giving up 34 in the powerplay. Dube’s performance helped compensate and stabilize India’s bowling attack.
With the win, India solidified their position in the Super Four standings. Pakistan will next face Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, while Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets in their Super Four match on Sept. 20. The top two teams from the Super Four will meet in the final in Dubai on Sept. 28.
India’s recent dominance over Pakistan has continued, with seven straight T20 international wins since the 2022 Asia Cup. Despite the historical significance of the rivalry, Suryakumar emphasized that India focused on playing better cricket rather than dwelling on past narratives.
