New Delhi: “Pehle humne Sindoor lagaya tha aur ab Tilak lagaya hai (First came the sindoor, now comes the Tilak),” shouted a jubilant fan in New Delhi as India clinched its thrilling Asia Cup 2025 victory over arch-rival Pakistan. Streets across the national capital, Nagpur, Mohali and other cities erupted in cheer after the country secured the final by five wickets in Dubai on Sunday.
“Sindoor” (vermilion) refers to Operation Sindoor (India’s military offensive against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack), while “Tilak” (sacred mark on the forehead) celebrates Tilak Varma’s game-changing innings that secured India’s Asia Cup victory.
The masterful 69 (not out) from Varma, supported by crucial partnerships with Sanju Samson (24 in 21 balls) and Shivam Dube (33 in 22 balls), anchored India’s chase of 147 runs and secured the nation’s second T20I Asia Cup title and ninth overall, including the ODI editions.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team on X (formerly Twitter), playfully dubbing the win, “#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”
#OperationSindoor on the games field.
Outcome is the same – India wins!
Congrats to our cricketers.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 28, 2025
Match Highlights
India elected to field first after winning the toss. Pakistan’s Sahidzada Farhan (57 in 38 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (46 in 35 balls) put on 84 runs, giving Pakistan a strong start.
India’s spinners, Kuldeep Yadav (4/30) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/30), turned the match on its head, triggering a dramatic collapse. Pakistan fell from 113/1 in 12.4 overs to 146 all out in 19.1 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) picking the final two wickets.
India began its chase poorly, losing three early wickets to Faheem Ashraf (3/29) and struggling at 20/3. Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson rebuilt the innings with a 57-run partnership.
Shivam Dube’s aggressive hitting later solidified India’s control, while Rinku Singh, playing his first Asia Cup match, hit the winning runs on his first delivery.
Chase Drama
India’s early collapses saw Abhishek Sharma dismissed for five, Suryakumar Yadav out for one and Shubman Gill for 12. Tilak and Samson accelerated the scoring, passing 50 in eight overs. Samson fell for 24, but Tilak remained unbeaten, guiding India with timely boundaries and a six.
Shivam Dube unleashed a flurry of shots in the final overs. India needed 17 runs from 12 balls, which Tilak and Rinku executed perfectly, finishing at 150/5 in 19.4 overs.
Bowling Excellence
Kuldeep Yadav’s spin magic triggered Pakistan’s collapse. Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel claimed important wickets, while Bumrah’s yorker removed Haris Rauf, celebrated with his signature “Airplane crash” gesture.
Final Scores
Pakistan: 146/10 in 19.1 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 57, Fakhar Zaman 46; Kuldeep Yadav 4/30)
India: 150/5 in 19.4 overs (Tilak Varma 69*, Shivam Dube 33; Faheem Ashraf 3/29)
India maintained a perfect record against Pakistan in this Asia Cup edition, having won the group stage and Super Four matches. Fans nationwide continue to celebrate, with Tilak Varma emerging as the hero of the day.