Veteran Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin strongly criticised Pakistan’s performance in the Asia Cup 2025, calling out their poor tactics and lack of class after India’s commanding seven-wicket victory in Dubai.
India Dominate with Bat and Ball
India’s spin trio — Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy — set the tone early, restricting Pakistan to just 127/9. In response, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma chipped in with 31 runs each before captain Suryakumar Yadav sealed the win with an unbeaten 47, finishing the chase with 25 balls to spare.
Ashwin praised the Indian side for their clinical execution but expressed disappointment at Pakistan’s inability to rise to the occasion.
“This Isn’t the Oman Side”
On his YouTube channel, Ashwin drew a sharp contrast between India’s fearless approach and Pakistan’s reckless decisions.
“Apart from Saim Ayub, I don’t think the Pakistan team has a lot of class,” he said. “Look at Abhishek Sharma — first ball, he stepped out and used his feet against Shaheen Afridi. In comparison, Mohammad Haris was stuck in the crease and tried to slog Bumrah across the line. That went straight up. You cannot play that kind of shot against Bumrah. This isn’t the Oman side. You can hit those bowlers, but not India’s attack.”
Poor Tactics and Lack of Awareness
Ashwin further criticised Pakistan for their lack of tactical awareness.
“Even Hasan Nawaz was swinging without any footwork. Compare that to Tilak Varma — he played the reverse sweep, scored through the off side, played the slog sweep. India are tactically, technically, and strategically in a different league,” he explained.
IPL’s Role in India’s Strength
Ashwin hailed the current Indian T20 squad as the strongest team to have faced Pakistan, crediting the IPL for shaping players’ ability to thrive under pressure.
“This is the strongest Indian T20 team we’ve put against Pakistan. It’s not just explosive batting, it’s tactical and smart. IPL has given players exposure to pressure situations, so playing these shots under pressure has become second nature,” Ashwin said.
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