Indian left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav praised Pakistan’s fighting spirit after his team clinched a thrilling five-wicket win in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai.
Kuldeep, who played a match-winning role with the ball, said it always feels special to beat a quality side like Pakistan.
“We enjoyed a lot after the victory. It always feels good when you defeat a good team. We cannot deny the fact that they also played brilliantly. We were three down for just 20 runs, and they had a terrific start with the bat. But we must appreciate the comeback made by our team. All the players contributed equally to the win,” Kuldeep said in an interview with an Indian media outlet after the final.
#AsiaCup | “Nothing beyond one’s contribution in team’s success”: Indian Cricketer Kuldeep Yadav@vimalsports pic.twitter.com/ufyu768jc5
— NDTV (@ndtv) September 29, 2025
Kuldeep starred with four wickets, helping India bowl Pakistan out for 146. But he shifted focus away from his own performance to credit the collective effort.
“There’s nothing bigger in this world than contributing to the team’s victory. Everyone saw how Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma performed, but Axar Patel’s role with the ball, Sanju Samson’s partnership with Tilak, and two wickets from Varun Chakaravarthy were equally important. It was truly a team effort,” he said.
Sanju Samson’s 24-run knock in a 57-run stand with Tilak Varma proved crucial, steadying India after an early collapse. Tilak, however, was the star of the chase, finishing unbeaten on 69 to guide India home with just two balls left. Kuldeep called Tilak’s innings “brilliant,” comparing it to his match-winning knocks in the IPL.
The 30-year-old refrained from commenting on India’s refusal to accept the trophy from ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi but stressed that players remained focused on their cricket. “Whenever we play, we only think about the temperament of the team and how to approach the game,” he said.
The final itself was a rollercoaster. Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan a dream start with an 84-run opening stand, but India hit back hard. After Farhan’s 57 and Zaman’s 46, Pakistan collapsed, losing ten wickets for 62 runs. Kuldeep grabbed four scalps, while Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel shared the rest.
Chasing 147, India slipped to 20 for 3 after Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf rocked the top order. Samson and Tilak steadied nerves before Shivam Dube’s 33 off 22 balls tilted the chase back in India’s favor.
India crossed the finish line in the last over, sealing their ninth Asia Cup title.