Dubai: India’s dominance over Pakistan in men’s cricket continues to grow, and this time Suryakumar Yadav made no effort to hide what the numbers suggest. After India’s six-wicket win in the Asia Cup Super Four clash in Dubai, Yadav dismissed the idea of the fixture being a rivalry anymore.
“I feel you should stop asking this question on rivalry,” Yadav said, responding to a media query after the game. “If two teams play 15–20 matches and the record is 7-7 or 8-7, then that is called a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1… I don’t know the exact stats, but this is not a rivalry anymore. We simply played better cricket than them.”
India’s victory margin underlined the claim. Pakistan posted 171 for 5, their highest first-innings score against India in T20Is, thanks to Sahibzada Farhan’s 58. At the halfway stage they were 91 for 1 and seemed set for a bigger total. But India regrouped at the drinks break, tightening lines and lengths, and Pakistan managed only 38 runs between overs 10 and 17—the lowest middle-phase tally in the tournament so far.
The breakthrough came from Shivam Dube, who bowled his full quota of four overs for only the third time in his T20I career. His spell of 2 for 33 included the key wickets of Saim Ayub and Farhan, breaking Pakistan’s momentum and forcing them to settle for a below-par finish.
In reply, India never looked troubled. Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill blasted 105 for the opening wicket in just 59 balls. Gill struck a brisk 47, while Sharma’s explosive 74 off 39 balls effectively ended the contest, leaving Tilak Varma to polish off the chase with 30 not out.
For Pakistan, it was another bitter reminder of the gulf that has opened up in recent years. India have now beaten them in seven consecutive men’s internationals since their 2022 Asia Cup loss in Dubai, including an 8-0 record when chasing in T20Is.
Suryakumar credited the team’s composure and Dube’s all-round growth. “He always wanted to bowl at least two overs. Today he got the full quota and delivered with clear plans,” Yadav said.
The verdict was clear both on and off the field: for Indian fans, the much-hyped rivalry has become a showcase of consistency, with their team holding all the answers.
