Pakistan's Saim Ayub gives Sooryavanshi baby send-off, Abhishek responds with sixes

In a high-voltage India-Pakistan men's cricket Asian Games gold-medal clash, Ayub dismissed India's 15-year-old opener and then celebrated with a gesture of rocking a baby in his arms. Sooryavanshi had hit two sixes in his nine-ball stay before falling for 15, but India had no intention of allowing the moment to slow them down.

In fact, Abhishek responded almost immediately. | IND vs PAK cricket updates |

Sooryavanshi's dismissal came with the first delivery of Ayub's second over. The youngster attempted a reverse-sweep, got tangled up and lost his balance as the ball took the edge and went through to wicketkeeper Usman Khan. Ayub then turned towards Sooryavanshi and made the baby-cradle gesture. The moment quickly became one of the talking points of the final.

What followed was a brutal response from Abhishek.

The left-hander smashed a six and two boundaries in the same over, ensuring that Ayub's dismissal of Sooryavanshi did little to halt India's charge. Abhishek had already provided India with explosive momentum in the powerplay, racing to his half-century in just 20 balls.

India made 81 for two in the powerplay, with Abhishek at the centre of the assault. He eventually fell for 61 off 28 balls, having struck three fours and seven sixes. His innings was one of the major reasons India were able to maintain a scoring rate that kept Pakistan under pressure from the outset.

Ayub, meanwhile, had initially bowled a tight spell. He finished his first three overs with figures of 1/24, with Sooryavanshi's wicket his only success.

But his fourth over was a different story.

With India looking to finish strongly, Ayub was taken for 23 runs in the final over of his spell. Shivam Dube launched into the off-spinner, smashing two sixes and a boundary, while Tilak Varma joined the assault with a boundary of his own.

India had been in danger of losing momentum midway through the innings. After racing to 81 for two in the powerplay, they slipped to 137 for five after 15 overs. Shreyas Iyer made 21 off 24 balls, while Ishan Kishan managed 20 off 18, with Pakistan's spinners Sufyan Moqim and Abrar Ahmed making life difficult in the middle overs.

Then came the late surge.

Tilak, who has repeatedly produced big performances against Pakistan, smashed 51 off just 22 balls to turn the innings around. He hit four sixes and three boundaries, while Dube contributed 34 with two sixes and two fours.

The pair added 62 runs for the sixth wicket from only 30 balls, taking India to 211 for six in their 20 overs.

For Tilak, there was another layer to the assault. He had been India's match-winner in the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, when his unbeaten 69 helped India chase down 147 and seal the title.

This time, he was at it again in another India vs Pakistan final.