Before a ball was even bowled, Pakistan’s Asia Cup clash with India in Dubai had already descended into awkward comedy on Sunday night. At the toss, captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha avoided eye contact and skipped the customary handshake, setting the stage for frosty proceedings. But the real punchline came moments later during the national anthems.
As Pakistan’s players lined up, the stadium DJ somehow cued up Tesher and Jason Derulo’s viral hit ‘Jalebi Baby’. For about five seconds, the Pakistan team looked bewildered, before the correct anthem finally rescued the moment.
DJ played Jalebi Baby song on Pakistan National anthem 🤣#INDvsPAK #BoycottINDvPAK pic.twitter.com/rJBmfvqedI
— 𝗩 𝗔 𝗥 𝗗 𝗛 𝗔 𝗡 (@ImHvardhan21) September 14, 2025
India dominates first half of the game
Once the music mishap subsided, India’s spinners took over the entertainment. Kuldeep Yadav (3/18), Axar Patel (2/18) and Varun Chakravarthy (1/24) turned the contest into a suffocating spin clinic, tying Pakistan’s batters in knots. Together, they bowled 40 dot balls, while Jasprit Bumrah added another 15 dots of misery. For Pakistan, it was less a batting innings and more an extended net session against three bowling machines set to “unplayable”.
Salman Ali Agha’s men limped to 127 for nine, a total salvaged almost single-handedly by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Afridi smashed 33 off just 16 deliveries, including four sixes, sparing Pakistan from the embarrassment of being bowled out under 100.
Class apart
Make no mistake, the gulf in class was clear. India not only dominated with ball in hand but also left Pakistan red-faced on the first delivery when Hardik Pandya took the first wicket. Between a cold toss, a ‘Jalebi Baby’ anthem blunder and a spin stranglehold, this Group A contest has everything except, perhaps, a competitive match.
