The opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill stole the show in India’s convincing six-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (September 21).

Sharma led the charge with a blazing 39-ball 74, sharing a fiery 105-run stand with Gill (47 off 28) in 9.5 overs as the Men in Blue chased down 172 with seven deliveries to spare.

The duo’s fearless exploits also earned them glowing praise from former Pakistan captains, Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik.

For Misbah, Abhishek’s temperament and skill under pressure stood out the most. “The skill level is exceptional, and the temperament is impressive. Playing against Pakistan for the first time, there’s no pressure; he (Abhishek) comes in as if he’s batting in the nets. When the ball lands in his zone, he effortlessly hits it out,” Misbah said on Tapmad’s post-match show.

“He puts the main bowlers under pressure right from the start, and after that, the team can’t recover.”

On the other hand, Malik highlighted the brilliance of Gill. “I thought Shubman Gill would remain not out… everything about him is high quality. He doesn’t just play on one side; he knows how to play all around the field. As soon as the conditions changed after six overs, he started rotating the strike,” Malik noted.

Malik also emphasized how both Abhishek and Shubman have the versatility to adapt beyond the powerplay.

“Your top three batters shouldn’t only know one way to play the game. They can rotate the strike, hit fours by finding gaps, and hit sixes when the ball is right. They have clarity, and when there’s such clarity, you can play innings like this,” Malik remarked.

Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill will now be seen in action in India’s second Super 4 match against Bangladesh in Dubai on Wednesday (September 24).