New Delhi, Sep 29 (NationPress) Indian cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar disclosed that his heart was racing intensely while he witnessed the Asia Cup 2025 final featuring India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The Men in Blue clinched a decisive win by successfully chasing a target of 147 runs with only two balls to spare in a nail-biting match. This victory also represented India's third straight triumph over Pakistan in the 2025 tournament and marked the team's record-extending ninth title.

In an interview with India Today, Gavaskar expressed his emotions during the match, stating, "My heart rate was at its peak; it felt like it could burst at any moment."

The Suryakumar Yadav-led squad encountered an early challenge in their chase, losing openers Abhishek Sharma and captain Shubman Gill quickly, which put pressure on the middle-order early on.

Gavaskar provided his insights on the game, noting that the top-order batsmen aimed to score quickly, even with a modest target. He suggested that the Indian batsmen’s early dismissals ‘opened the door’ for Pakistan to seize control, causing anxiety among the players and fans alike.

“What we witnessed in the first three wickets was difficult to understand, as the target wasn’t substantial enough to warrant aggressive play on every ball. A solid start was necessary, not necessarily a 60 or 50 in the initial overs, but perhaps even a 35-40; that was what was needed. Instead, they found themselves at 20/3; that opened the door for Pakistan and led to heightened nerves. If the bowling is exceptional and a bowler takes your wicket, that’s one thing. However, here, the batters were attempting unnecessary shots, which indeed contributes to increased nervousness,” he elaborated.

vi/bc