'Shaheen Afridi treated like a net-ball spinner': Sunil Gavaskar hails India's new match-winner

NEW DELHI: Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar reserved the highest praise for young Tilak Varma after India’s emphatic six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash in Dubai on Sunday. The batting great declared that Tilak “treated Pakistan’s premier bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, like a net-ball spinner” with the audacious strokes that sealed India’s win.

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Coming in at No.4, Tilak initially looked measured, reaching 20 off 17 deliveries before cutting loose in the 19th over. Facing Afridi, Pakistan’s strike weapon, the 22-year-old finished the contest with a towering six followed by a crisp boundary. Tilak stayed unbeaten on 30 off 19 balls, leaving Gavaskar in awe of his composure and fearlessness.



“In the end, another super-talented batter, Tilak Varma, treated Pakistan’s premier bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, like a net-ball spinner and smashed him around to wrap a win with deliveries to spare,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for The Sportstar.


The Indian legend also lauded the team’s collective dominance, starting with the 105-run opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. “India breezed to a win after a delightful opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill that took the breath away and crushed any hopes the Pakistanis had of winning the game,” Gavaskar observed.

Afridi has now gone wicketless in both encounters against India in this year’s Asia Cup, compounding Pakistan’s woes. Despite a late flourish with the bat, their total fell 20 runs short of a challenging score, leaving India in complete control.

With the victory, India joined Bangladesh at the top of the Super 4 standings with two points each, but a superior net run rate keeps them ahead. The defending champions are firmly on course for another final appearance, with their young stars like Tilak Varma stepping up to complement the established names.

For Pakistan, the equation is simple but unforgiving: win both remaining matches to keep their campaign alive, or risk watching India face Bangladesh in the summit clash.

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