Shaheen Shah Afridi of Pakistan speaks to Abhishek Sharma of India and Shubman Gill of India. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Indiaâ€s Asia Cup 2025 victory over Pakistan was powered by Abhishek Sharmaâ€s explosive batting throughout the tournament, and the left-handed opener did not hold back his confidence in the post-match interview. While reflecting on his approach, Sharma made a pointed reference to Pakistanâ€s self-styled “premium fast bowler,†Shaheen Shah Afridi.Click here to watch the video. “Spinners, fast bowlers, any of the premium fast bowlers as well…I had it in my mind that I had to go from the first ball. That is going to help me give impact to my team, and that is what happened,†said Abhishek. The remark is widely seen as a playful jab at Afridi, whom Abhishek had tonked for a six on the very first ball he faced in the Super Four clash earlier in the tournament. Sharmaâ€s performances set the tone for India in all their matches. The 25-year-old finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 314 runs in seven innings at an average of 44.85 and a strike rate of 200. He shared crucial partnerships with vice-captain Shubman Gill, providing India blazing starts and laying the foundations for victory in key matches. For his consistency and impact, Abhishek was adjudged the Player of the Tournament, earning a car as part of the award. “Getting a car is always a pleasure. Getting into this team after winning the World Cup was not easy for any opener. We had a plan to play our game and show our intent from the first ball. Worked really hard on that,†he said. Sharma credited the support from captain Suryakumar Yadav, the coaching staff, and the team environment for enabling his fearless approach. “If you play like this, you need special support from the coach and captain, and that is what I have been getting. If I do well and get those impact innings for the team, we should win,†he added. Though Abhishek and Shubman Gill were dismissed early in the final against Pakistan, Tilak Varma anchored Indiaâ€s five-wicket triumph with 69 not out, supported by Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube. Indian bowlers Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel had earlier restricted Pakistan to 146 all out, sealing Indiaâ€s ninth Asia Cup title.
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