Sunil Gavaskar on IND vs PAK: ‘Pressure was on the Indians’ as India cruise in Asia Cup 2025 Super 4

Divy Dubey

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Sunil Gavaskar on IND vs PAK: ‘Pressure was on the Indians’ as India cruise in Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 image

India secured their second win over Pakistan in a week, this time in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash at the Dubai International Stadium. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the side chased down Pakistan's 171-run target in style.

Abhishek Sharma scored an explosive 74 and a formed a dominant opening stand with Shubman Gill.

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While the match itself was one-sided, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar drew attention to the pressure surrounding the fixture - especially after the controversies following the earlier group-stage game.

Sunil Gavaskar opened up about pressure in India vs Pakistan clash

Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said that India entered the contest under pressure to respond after Pakistan's off-field protests and the handshake controversy that marked the previous meeting. He felt this pressure was visible in some of India's fielding lapses.

"I think, after all the halla-bullu that happened after the last game, the pressure was definitely on the Indians. Maybe it showed on the field, as they dropped relatively simple catches. Of course, there were some difficult ones, but the standard we see today makes even tough chances look simple," Gavaskar said.

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He added that India needed to win emphatically to stamp authority in the tournament.

"Yes, the pressure was on India to win this game in style, especially given everything that happened last Sunday. In this way, they showed they have the temperament to handle all that and deliver under pressure," he added.

More: Asia Cup 2025 Super 4: Rules, format, schedule, points and teams explained

Pakistan made a promising start through Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan who added 72 for the first wicket. At 91/1 midway through the innings, they seemed well-placed.

But India's bowlers turned the tide - Shivam Dube dismissed both openers while Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy restricted the run flow.

India's chase was ruthless. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill put together a 105-run stand in under 10 overs.

Abhishek smashed 74 off just 39 deliveries while Gill's 47 off 28 kept the momentum intact. The chase was wrapped up in 18.5 overs - giving India a comfortable six-wicket win.

India's next Super 4 game is against Bangladesh on September 24 where another win will almost guarantee the final qualification.

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Divy Dubey

Divy Dubey is a content producer for The Sporting News' India edition. He has a passion for cricket and is an avid fan of football. His work spans culture, media, and digital trends. With a background in research and a curiosity-driven approach, he enjoys crafting thoughtful, engaging stories that invite readers to see everyday topics in a new light.