India’s Tilak Varma celebrates after reaching his half century with Shivam Dube towards Pakistan throughout Asia Cup 2025 remaining at Dubai Worldwide Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 28, 2025. — Reuters
Hope was despair but once more as Pakistan faltered within the Asia Cup remaining towards India, leaving hundreds of thousands of followers heartbroken on what was meant to be an evening of redemption.
After back-to-back losses earlier within the match, this was imagined to be the second of turnaround — as a substitute, it led to one other painful reminder of how far the arch-rivals stay aside on the massive stage.
The heartbreak was loudest on social media, the place ex-cricketers and followers vented their frustration. Some lamented that Pakistan “never learns from its mistakes,” whereas others slammed Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy. Emotional posts poured in, with offended supporters questioning all the things from crew choice to sport consciousness.
Haris Rauf criticised
If there was one title followers and analysts circled in crimson after the heartbreak, it was Haris Rauf. The fiery pacer, who as soon as carried the tag of Pakistan’s death-bowling weapon, ended the evening because the ‘villain’.
Conceding 50 runs in simply 3.4 overs, Rauf undid the stranglehold Pakistan’s spinners had labored so laborious to create.
The breaking level got here within the fifteenth over, when he was smashed for 17 runs — two boundaries and a six, releasing all of the strain that had constructed up after India’s sluggish center overs. Social media erupted immediately, with one fan writing, “All the hard work gone in just one over — classic Haris Rauf.”
After which got here the ultimate act. With the Asia Cup on the road, Rauf was handed the duty of bowling the twentieth over.
Pakistan have been already on the again foot resulting from a sluggish over-rate penalty, with an additional fielder pressured contained in the circle. Underneath the lights, with Tilak Varma on strike, Rauf misplaced his radar. A six off the second ball all however sealed it, earlier than Rinku Singh clattered the profitable boundary previous mid-on to substantiate India’s ninth Asia Cup crown.
For followers, it was the cruellest reminder of Pakistan’s recurring death-bowling woes.
If Pakistan’s bowlers had their share of blame, the batting unit wasn’t spared both. What began as a dream was a nightmare. The Inexperienced Shirts acquired off to a blistering begin with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman tearing into the Indian assault. The pair piled up 84 runs inside the primary 10 overs, igniting hopes of a large complete.
However as soon as Farhan fell for an excellent 57 off 38 balls — caught at deep mid-wicket attempting to clear the ropes — the floodgates opened. Followers who had been chanting in pleasure simply minutes earlier out of the blue noticed the collapse unfold earlier than their eyes. From 84-1, Pakistan went right into a tailspin.
Saim Ayub’s transient cameo of 14 off 11 balls ended with yet one more mistimed shot, leaving Fakhar stranded. Quickly after, Mohammad Haris joined the procession again to the pavilion. The innings went from promising to perilous in a matter of overs, as wickets tumbled beneath strain.
Even Fakhar, who seemed set for a defining knock, couldn’t maintain the fort. His 35-ball 46 ended with a comfortable dismissal, and with him went Pakistan’s final actual hope of crossing 170. The remainder of the center and decrease order folded meekly, including simply 33 runs throughout 9 wickets in a span of 38 deliveries.
Followers have been furious. Social media erupted with livid posts, slamming the middle-order for squandering the platform laid down by the openers.
