Asia Cup 2025: 'We Gave Them a Proper Reply' – India head coach’s bold statement after dominant win over Pakistan

In the Asia Cup 2025 Group A encounter at the Dubai International Stadium, India beat Pakistan convincingly by seven wickets on Sunday, September 14. The match took place amid tragedy linked to the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, but India produced one of their most clinical performances in recent memory. Head coach Gautam Gambhir congratulated the team on their performance and avoided connections either way with the teams in the competition.

After losing the toss, India was asked to bowl first and made a decisive impact. The bowling unit broke down the Pakistani batting order, with Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah early wicket taking the shine off the new ball. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy bowled well and gave nothing away to Pakistan, who could only manage 127/9 in their 20 over innings. Sahibzada Farhan (40) and Shaheen Afridi (33*) were the only batsmen to offer significant resistance.

In the chase, India never looked troubled. Abhishek Sharma’s rapid 13-ball 31 helped set up the platform alongside Shubman Gill, while Tilak Varma also chipped in valuable runs. Captain Suryakumar Yadav saw India home with an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls and ensured an easy seven-wicktet win. Post-match, Gambhir lauded the team’s execution and discipline throughout the contest.

Gambhir’s Praise and Dedication

“Good win, there’s a lot of cricket left. More importantly, as a team we wanted to show our solidarity towards the victims, all the families and what they’ve gone through in the Pahalgam attack. We also want to thank the armed forces for their success in Operation Sindoor. I’m sure we will try and make the country proud and make them happy. You couldn’t ask for a better performance, especially the way the bowlers bowled. If you are restricting the opponents to 127, the way all three spinners and Bumrah performed, then obviously you will back the batting lineup to chase it down. The way we started was also important, and the players are doing the right things day in and day out,” Gambhir told Sony Sports Network.

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Notably, both Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the victory to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the armed forces, emphasizing national pride and solidarity. The match also sparked controversy when Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, a move defended as a symbolic gesture of respect for the victims. Gambhir further reflected on his coaching philosophy, saying:

“You can’t compare apples to oranges. Some people may not see the transition clearly, but we’ve kept backing the players, the support staff has kept backing them, and we’ll keep getting results in the future as well. I’ve had my good days, I’ve had my bad days as well that’s what coaching is about. The important thing is if you can work honestly in the dressing room, bring honest people, it is very important. Honesty is needed to take Indian cricket forward, whether inside the dressing room or outside, in the commentary box or the studio."