Operation Sindoor on the games field: PM Narendra Modi congratulates India after Asia Cup final win over Pakistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Team India after they defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a thrilling Asia Cup final, clinching the trophy for a record-extending ninth time. Modi drew a parallel with Operation Sindoor, saying the outcome was the same — “India wins!”

“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls, while Rinku Singh dramatically hit the winning runs with a four off the only ball he faced in the entire tournament. India staged a stunning comeback after a poor start, successfully chasing down 147. Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul restricted Pakistan to 146 runs.

This was the third time India beat Pakistan in this year’s tournament — after a seven-wicket win in the group stage and a six-wicket win in the Super Fours. However, unlike those one-sided encounters, the final was a tense thriller, with momentum swinging both ways.

Pakistan started strong, smashing 84 runs without losing a wicket in 9.3 overs. But India fought back fiercely, bowling them out for 146. The chase, however, was not straightforward — India stumbled early, losing Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav within eight balls, leaving them 20 for 3.

Abhishek Sharma, India’s tempo-setter, and Suryakumar Yadav, considered one of India’s finest T20 batsmen, could not convert their starts. But Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson steadied the innings with a 57-run partnership, mixing composure and aggression. While Samson departed, Tilak anchored the chase and guided India to glory — a defining moment in his young career.

This is India’s ninth Asia Cup title and second in the T20I format. It is also their second consecutive title, having won the 2023 Asia Cup (ODI format) as well.
Sri Lanka are the second-most successful team with six titles, while Pakistan have two.