India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav has sent a direct message to Pakistan following India’s dominant nine-wicket victory against the United Arab Emirates in their Asia Cup 2025 opener on September 10 at Dubai International Stadium. India kicked off their Asia Cup campaign on a high note, registering a comprehensive win by nine wickets. The match lasted just 17.4 overs, with India chasing a low target of 58 runs in a record-breaking 4.3 overs, marking India’s fastest-ever T20I run chase in terms of balls played. While an Indian victory was expected, the overwhelming margin surprised many, especially since only six days prior, the UAE had lost to Pakistan by a narrower 31 runs, making their collapse against India even more striking.
When questioned by Sanjay Manjrekar about whether India’s performance was a message to Pakistan ahead of their high-profile match on September 14, Suryakumar Yadav gave a straightforward reply:
“We all are excited, everyone wants to play a good game and we are really looking forward to it.”
The entire game only took 17.4 overs, with the Men in Blue completing the chase in 4.3 explosive overs. This assuredness reflects the confidence of a captain who has led India to just two losses in 15 matches since the start of 2024, establishing the team as the world’s best in T20Is.
Toss Decision
Suryakumar had hinted at this aggressive intent a day earlier while sitting beside Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, emphasizing high expectations from his side.
Regarding his decision at the toss, he explained:
“Wanted to see how the wicket was playing, it was the same in the second innings as well.”
When asked about the early finish and if the players would receive their full match fees, he laughed and said:
“That we will talk about later.”
He praised the team’s energy and attitude on the field, especially highlighting the bowling support shown by Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shivam Dube:
“Clinical performance from the boys. Wanted good energy and attitude in the field and that carried over into batting.”
On Abhishek Sharma’s outstanding batting, Suryakumar said:
“He is a phenomenal batter and that is the reason he is the world number one batter right now. He keeps the team first, irrespective of the score, and that is unbelievable from him.”
This powerful statement sets the tone ahead of the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025, where both teams will look to assert their dominance on the subcontinental stage