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Gautam Gambhir bangs table repeatedly, unleashes untamed emotions moments before India beat Pakistan to win Asia Cup
Gautam Gambhir slammed the table in raw emotion as Tilak Varma’s six set up Rinku Singh’s winning boundary, sealing India’s ninth Asia Cup title.
The tense chase, in front of a full house at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, came down to the final over. Pakistan stormed back into the game with the dismissal of Shivam Dube on the last ball of the penultimate over. The anxiety weighed heavily on both dressing rooms—not even India head coach Gautam Gambhir was spared. He finally let his emotions out as Tilak Varma delivered the finishing blow, smashing a six off Haris Rauf on the second ball of the over. India sealed the chase of 147 two balls later to retain the Asia Cup crown.
Pakistan may have had the momentum going into the final over, having just dismissed the well-set Dube. However, the Salam Agha-led side were penalised for slow over-rate and, hence, were forced to bring an extra fielder inside the ring.
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Haris Rauf, who had difficult outing on Sunday evening in Dubai, stuck to his plan of bowling across to left-handed batter Tilak. After conceding two off the first ball with the batter looking to access the square-leg region, the India star capitalised as the bowler changed his plan of bowling into the wicket. Against the hard-length ball, Tilak nailed the pull short in front of square to smash an 80-metre six.
The Indian spectators at the ground went berserk, and so did Gambhir in the dressing room. In an unseen display of untamed emotions, the former India batter repeatedly banged the table to celebrate the six that brought down the equation from 8 needed from 5 to 2 needed from 4 balls. Every slam reflected the pressure, anticipation, and sheer passion coursing through him as the game reached a critical juncture.
A delivery later, Rinku Singh, facing his first delivery in the entire tournament, having made his first appearance in the Asia Cup 2025 itself, struck the winning run - a boundary through mid-wicket, as India won the Asia Cup title for a record-extending ninth time in history.
After Rinku's winning-short, Gambhir jumped out of his seat to celebrate, and later went out on the ground to hug Tilak for his stunning batting performance.
Having slumped to 20 for three inside first five overs, Tilak (69 not out off 53 balls) was composed and audacious in equal measure with Sanju Samson (24) and Dube (33 off 21 balls ) proving to be brilliant support casts as India chased down 147 in 19.4 overs.
Earlier in the evening, Indian spinners performed brilliantly to bowl out Pakistan for 146 in 19.1 overs, with Kuldeep Yadav being the wrecker-in-chief with his four-fer. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy picked up two wickets each, and so did fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
