'Intent not enough' — Pakistan fans furious after Asia Cup loss against India

Hopes were sky-high, but they came crashing down as Pakistan lost the high-voltage match against arch-rival India — the first encounter after armed conflict. Despite flashes of resistance, the Pakistani unit never quite clicked, and the pressure only mounted further once the chase unfolded, leaving fans heartbroken.

Fans were quick to argue that Pakistan’s much-talked-about “intent” lacked balance. One observer wrote that unleashing aggression without sensibility is a curse, adding that such an approach only leads to chaos and self-destruction.

Others pointed out the irony of Pakistan’s collapse, noting that Shaheen Shah Afridi ended up as the team’s highest run-scorer, while opener Saim Ayub was their most successful wicket-taker. For many, this highlighted how badly the batting and bowling units underperformed in their primary roles.

The team’s shot selection also came under sharp criticism. Supporters questioned whether “intent and aggression” meant abandoning rotation of strike and swinging blindly at every delivery. With no sharp turn in the pitch and little assistance for bowlers, fans argued that a sensible yet positive approach could have helped Pakistan post a competitive total.

It all began with heartbreak as Pakistan’s star opener — hailed by some cricket gurus as the "next Babar Azam" — fell for a golden duck. Mohammad Haris followed soon after, leaving both openers back in the pavilion within the first two overs, with just six runs on the board.

Mohammad Haris didn’t last long either — Jasprit Bumrah had him nicking off for just three. Two down inside two overs, and the scoreboard showed a miserable six.

Fakhar Zaman then walked in to join Sahibzada Farhan, trying to steady a sinking ship. For a while, it looked like they had things under control. The pair stitched together 39 runs, with Fakhar finding some rhythm. 

But just as Pakistan began to breathe, Axar Patel struck in the eighth over, sending Fakhar back for 17.

That wicket opened the floodgates. What followed was a middle-order collapse that left Pakistan reeling. Wickets kept tumbling, and before anyone could blink, the score had nosedived to 64 for six in the 13th over. Farhan, the lone warrior holding things together, finally mistimed one off Kuldeep Yadav and departed in the 17th over. He top-scored with a fighting 40 off 44, decorated with one four and three towering sixes.

When it looked like Pakistan would fold meekly, Shaheen Shah Afridi decided to throw his bat. And boy, did he connect. A fiery cameo of 33 off just 16 balls, including four massive sixes, gave the innings a much-needed push. Fans were quick to react to his short but truly amazing knock. 

Faheem Ashraf (11) and Sufiyan Muqeem (10) chipped in late, but it was never going to be enough against India’s bowling attack.

Kuldeep Yadav was the star, weaving his magic to claim three wickets for just 18 runs. Bumrah and Axar backed him up with two apiece, while Varun Chakravarthy and Hardik Pandya bagged one each.

India began their chase in explosive fashion. Even though Shubman Gill walked back early in the second over, Abhishek Sharma came out swinging, smashing four boundaries and two sixes in a whirlwind 31 off just 13 balls. His cameo had Pakistan on the back foot straight away, before Saim Ayub removed him in the fourth over.

Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav steadied India’s chase with a 56-run stand, before Saim Ayub struck again to remove Varma for a run-a-ball 31. From there, Suryakumar took full control, finishing unbeaten on 47 off 37 balls — his highest score against Pakistan in T20Is — to guide India home with 25 balls to spare. 

'Babar, Rizwan missed'

A section of fans turned their anger towards the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), criticising the decision to leave out former captain Babar Azam and senior batter Mohammad Rizwan from the Asia Cup squad. Many argued that the batting collapse against India could have been avoided had the experienced pair been in the lineup.

Supporters also pointed out that Babar and Rizwan’s ability to anchor innings and rotate strike might have prevented the reckless shot-making that triggered Pakistan’s downfall.

Some even accused the PCB of short-term thinking, saying the move was more about “making statements” than building a winning combination. 

Saim Ayub — Pakistan’s surprise wicket-taker

It turned out to be a bittersweet day for Saim Ayub. After bagging a golden duck with the bat, the left-hander made an unlikely impact with the ball, finishing as Pakistan’s only wicket-taker in the match. His part-time off-spin claimed all three Indian wickets as they chased down the 128-run target.

While the rest of Pakistan’s bowling attack struggled to make inroads, Saim’s breakthroughs at least delayed India’s march to victory. His scalps included key batters, giving fans a brief glimmer of hope amid an otherwise one-sided contest.

Social media was quick to react to the unusual scorecard, with many pointing out the irony of a specialist batter ending up as the team’s lone wicket-taker. For some, it was a moment of pride that Saim showed fight with the ball, but for others, it underlined Pakistan’s glaring bowling issues in the high-voltage clash.