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Abhishek Sharma, Shaheen Afridi teammates; six Indians, just one Pakistani in Asia Cup’s team of the tournament
India have secured their ninth Asia Cup title with a brilliant show in the final of the Asia Cup 2025. With the tournament, here is a look at the best XI.
India completed their dominance of the Asia Cup 2025 by defeating Pakistan in the final of the tournament and winning their ninth title. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side displayed throughout the tournament that they are a notch above the others and emerged as the deserved champions.
So, with new champions crowned for the T20 Asia Cup, let us now look at some of the top performers in the tournament. Our team of the tournament is built on tournament specific performances, role balance, and the numbers that actually matter across the competition.
Openers
Abhishek Sharma (India)
Matches: 7 Runs: 314 Average: 44.85 Strike Rate: 200
The Indian opener emerged as the highest run-scorer and the most impactful batter of the tournament. Abhishek Sharma showed brilliant consistency along with hitting prowess. He was the key cog in India’s championship run laying the foundation for wins in most of the games.
Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)
Matches: 6 Runs: 261 Average: 43.50 Strike Rate: 160.12
The Sri Lankan opener finished the tournament as the only centurion. Pathum Nissanka’s century against India was a perfect example of class and his temperament under pressure. He showed decent consistency and also scored the runs at a fair clip.
The Abhishek-Nissanka partnership would be the perfect complimentary duo at the top. While Sharma can tear the bowlers apart, Nissanka can stabilize the proceedings.
Middle Order
Suryakumar Yadav (India) (C)
Matches: 7 Runs: 72 Average: 18.00 Strike Rate: 101.40
Suryakumar Yadav’s numbers in the tournament do not tell his complete story. He delivered astute leadership to the team throughout the tournament on and off the field. The best part of SKY’s captaincy was that he looked assured about the abilities of his players and was clear about the plans. More than a batter, Surya makes the team as the perfect leader.
Sanju Samson (India) (WK)
Matches: 7 Runs: 132 Average: 33.00 Strike Rate: 124.52
One of the most underrated contributors for India in the Asia Cup 2025. Batting out of position, Samson played a crucial knock in the Oman match. Besides, he took a couple of decisive catches in the final and played an instrumental role in the DRS call that saw the end of Shaheen Afridi. Sanju Samson’s partnership with Tilak Varma in the summit clash also deserves a mention. He might not have been there till the end of the match, but he stabilized the ship when India were sinking fast.
Tilak Varma (India)
Matches: 7 Runs: 213 Average: 71.00 Strike Rate: 131.48
The southpaw was the perfect presence for India in the middle-order. Fans and spectators will remember his under pressure 69* off 53 balls in the final for a long time. But throughout the tournament, Tilak Varma emerged as the batter who was doing exactly what the team required of him in different conditions. After the immortal knock in the final, there was no doubt about his spot, but his consistency throughout might have also earned him a place in this team.
Shivam Dube (India)
33 off 22 in the final, 5 Wickets at an economy of 7.77
Once more an underrated performer for the Indian team in the tournament. Shivam Dube allowed Suryakumar Yadav the added flexibility and depth to work around his combination. The presence of Dube did not faze the management even when a key player like Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the all important final.
Dube played a crucial role for the team in the Super Four game against Pakistan, where he picked up important wickets in the middle-overs. In the final he played the role of a new ball bowler to near perfection, not letting the team feel the absence of Pandya. The biggest contribution from the southpaw came with the bat in the final, his knock and the perfectly timed sixes played a crucial role in seeing India past the target.
Spinners
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
Matches: 6 Wickets: 8 Economy: 6.50
The wrist spinner emerged as the spin anchor for his team during the tournament. Wanindu Hasaranga’s spells controlled the middle overs and his lower-order batting ability adds depth to this line-up. The presence of Hasaranga gives this team the perfect spin-bowling all-rounder package.
Kuldeep Yadav (India)
Matches: 7 Wickets: 17 Economy: 6.27
If there could be a debate about the player of the tournament, then the name that will come up alongside Abhishek Sharma will be that of Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wrist spinner was absolutely unplayable in the middle-overs and he emerged as the game changer for India in most of the games. Even in the final, it was Kuldeep who changed the flow of the match in his final over of the spell, after he was thrashed for runs in his first three.
Pacers
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
Matches: 7 Runs scored: 83 Wickets: 10 Economy: 6.60
In a campaign where the Pakistan batting line-up struggled in most of the games, Shaheen Afridi emerged as the most valuable contributor with the bat. As the tournament progressed, Afridi picked up his bowling form too. Given the all-round impact he had on Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 campaign, Afridi gets a place in this team.
Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)
Matches: 6 Wickets: 9 Economy: 7.43
The Bangladeshi veteran emerged as their prime wicket-taker, especially in the death overs. Mustafizur Rahman used his trademark variations to the best of the effects and played a crucial role in Bangladesh presenting a tough fight in the matches.
Junaid Siddique (UAE)
Matches: 3 Wickets: 9 Economy: 6.33
The UAE might have had a tournament to forget, but Junaid Siddique has registered himself in the world map of the game. The 32-year-old medium pacer picked up back-to-back four wicket hauls and impressed everyone. Notable was his use of variation and cricketing smarts in the match against Pakistan. The UAE bowler rounds up this team of the tournament.
12th Man
Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan)
The right-handed Pakistan opener was the brightest spot for the team in the tournament. Sahibzada Farhan might have played a couple of knocks which were not up to the modern standards as far as strike rate is concerned, but given how the rest of the team performed, he was the perfect anchor and the biggest dependance for Pakistan. Even in the final, Farhan set up the stage for the rest of the team, however, his wicket is what actually started turning the tides against them.
HT's Asia Cup Team Of The Tournament
Abhishek Sharma (IND)
Pathum Nissanka (SL)
Suryakumar Yadav (IND) (c)
Sanju Samson (IND) (wk)
Tilak Varma (IND)
Shivam Dube (IND)
Wanindu Hasaranga (SL)
Kuldeep Yadav (IND)
Shaheen Afridi (PAK)
Junaid Siddique (UAE)
Mustafizur Rahman (BAN)
