It’s the big Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai, India facing Pakistan. After being put in to bat first, Pakistan looked to be in charge, but what followed was a collapse of gigantic proportions.
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From 113/1, they slipped to 146 all out, losing 9 wickets for just 33 runs. The collapse stunned everyone as they were set to post an above-par total at one stage. Kuldeep Yadav's 4/30 including three wickets in a single over capped off the skid.
What did Shoaib Akhtar say about India’s bowling vs Pakistan?
Before the collapse, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar had spoken about how India always followed one simple plan and focused on taking wickets.
He explained that if Pakistan’s openers could score around 40 runs in the first 5 overs without losing a wicket, then India’s strategy could be put under pressure.
But Akhtar also admitted this was tough, since India often picks up 2-3 quick wickets to break the momentum.
"Hypothetically, if our openers manage to score 40 runs off 5 overs without losing a wicket, where would that leave India? Their strategy often revolves around picking up 2-3 quick wickets. After that, Pakistan batsmen tend to rely on running between the wickets and maintaining a steady strike rate," said Akhtar.
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He highlighted that once India applies pressure with those early strikes, they rely on tight bowling to keep the game under control. According to him, Pakistan’s batters had to back each other and make sure they don’t waste good starts by throwing them away.
"Imagine if all the pressure shifts onto India, and the player who gets a chance to shine ends up scoring big. So, I believe the key is for our players to support each other, back one another up, and encourage whoever gets the team’s momentum to seize the opportunity and make it count," he added.
Pakistan's 33/9 collapse from 113 for 1 to 147 all-out
Despite a solid start led by Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan’s innings went downhill once the first breakthrough came.
India’s spinners, especially Kuldeep Yadav, tightened the screws and ripped through the middle order. Fakhar Zaman’s wicket proved to be the turning point as the rest of the lineup failed to hold on.
The collapse of 33 runs for 9 wickets summed up how India’s bowling plan, which Akhtar had pointed out earlier, came into full effect. The ability to keep hunting for wickets left Pakistan with no answers.
In the end, Akhtar’s observation almost came true in real time. He had stressed that India’s mantra was about dismissing batters rather than only containing them, and that is exactly how the game unfolded.
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