The heat was immense at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the Super 4 fixture between India and Pakistan as the Blue Brigade captain, Suryakumar Yadav, won the toss and decided to field first on a surface that has helped the batting in the second innings under the lights with little dew on offer. India brought back Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy into the eleven. 

The opening over from Hardik Pandya to the Pakistan opener, Sahibzada Farhan, was an interesting one. The right-handed batter timed the first ball into the cover-point region and felt something on his injured finger as the physio made an early arrival in the ground.

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The second ball swung away from back of a length delivery as the batter blocked from the crease. On the third delivery, the right-handed batter went for a wild swing at the ball, which took an outside edge and flew towards the third man region. Abhishek Sharma, stationed at that position, couldn’t read the speed of the ball and dropped it.

Watch: Hardik Pandya’s verbal banter with Sahibzada Farhan in IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 contest

The fourth ball was miscued in the air which cleared the mid-on fielder as the Pakistan side were showing their aggression from the very first over of the innings. The fifth ball of the over shaped away by Hardik as Farhan hanged back and defended the ball. The last ball was flicked nicely behind the square for them to return for couple of runs.

Catch dropped by Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya scolding Sanju Samson.

What the hell is this.😤 pic.twitter.com/ORWcrW5yEs

— Sachin (@Sachin_Gandhi7) September 21, 2025

After the drop, Hardik wasn’t happy and had a verbal banter with Farhan on the fourth ball. However, he finally came back to pick the wicket of Fakhar Zaman, who got an outside edge into the hands of the wicket-keeper, Sanju Samson.

Hardik Pandya now has taken 15 wickets in T20I innings against Pakistan, which is the most by a bowler in the India vs Pakistan T20I games. He has never gone wicketless against this opponent in eight innings he has bowled against them so far.