After India’s five-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Final, Abhishek Sharma subtly mocked Shaheen Afridi’s ‘premium fast bowler’ tag while reflecting on his aggressive batting. Abhishek was the highest run-getter of the tournament.
Team India opener Abhishek Sharma did not hesitate to take a subtle dig at Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi after the Men in Blue’s thrilling victory in the high-stakes Asia Cup 2025 Final at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 28. India successfully defended their Asia Cup triumph with a five-wicket win over arch-rivals.
With a 147-run target, India were reeling at 20/3 before Tilak Varma (69*), Shivam Dube (33), and Sanju Samson (24) steadied the chase with crucial knocks, guiding the defending champions to a thrilling victory, When India required just 1 run off 3 balls to win, Rinku Singh hit a winning four to take the team through the finish line as the Men in Blue chased down the target in 19.4 overs.
Just like batters, India's bowlers did a fantastic job and put in a collective effort to bundle out 146 despite an 84-run opening partnership between Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46). Kuldeep Yadav led the bowling attack with four wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel picked two wickets each.
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Abhishek’s dig at Shaheen Afridi
Abhishek Sharma had a rare failure in the final as he was dismissed for just 5 runs, as he had consecutively registered 30+ scores in the last six matches of the Asia Cup 2025. However, the 25-year-old was in impressive form until his dismissal in the title clash. Sharma had a battle with Shaheen Afridi earlier in the tournament, where he had smashed him for boundaries off Pakistan pacer’s bowling, showing his aggressive intent.
Speaking at the post-match presentation after being adjudged the Player of the Tournament award, Abhishek Sharma reflected on his aggressive batting approach in the powerplay overs and took a subtle dig at Shaheen Afridi.
“If you see, I had a plan. If I get spinners or something in the powerplay as well, I am going to utilise that powerplay. If you see any of the bowlers, even the fast bowlers, or any of the premium fast bowlers as well,” the southpaw said.
"If they come, so I had a plan in my mind that I want to go from the first ball, no matter who the bowler is," he added.
Abhishek Sharma’s dig at Shaheen Afridi was a reference to an advertisement, where Pakistan pacer proclaimed himself as the ‘premium fast bowler’ of the team. This gained traction, and the left-handed opener cleverly used it in the post-match presentation.
In the Asia Cup 2025, Abhishek Sharma aggregated 36 runs, including 3 fours and as many sixes, at an impressive strike rate of 189.47 against Shaheen Afridi, underlining his dominance over the pacer and adding a playful edge to India’s victory celebrations.
Asia Cup to Remember for Abhishek Sharma
The recently concluded Asia Cup 2025 proved to be a memorable tournament for Abhishek Sharma as he consistently delivered impactful performances for Team India by providing explosive starts at the top and laying a strong foundation for a solid total on the board.
Sharma started off his maiden Asia Cup campaign with three consecutive 30+ scores against the hosts, UAE, Pakistan, and Oman in the group stage before recording three fifties on the trot against Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka in the Super 4 clash. His 61-run knock in the Super 4 against Sri Lanka took him past the 300-run mark, becoming the first batter to achieve this feat in a single edition of the Asia Cup T20.
Additionally, Abhishek Sharma became the first batter to score three consecutive fifties in a single edition of the Asia Cup T20, cementing his reputation as one of the tournament’s most consistent and impactful performers.
Abhishek Sharma finished the tournament as the highest run-getter with 314 runs, including three fifties, at an average of 44.86 in seven matches.
