The rivalry between India and Pakistan has transcended borders and is popularly hailed as one of, if not the most, heated and storied contests in international cricket. Therefore, it is only natural for fans to jump at the opportunity to watch the two legendary teams lock horns on the cricket pitch.

The demand for these passes was such that they sold out in mere minutes. The overwhelming desire for the tickets&nbsp;resulted in a myriad of fans queueing up for hours in vain as they were sold out shortly thereafter, forcing those fans to walk away&nbsp;empty-handed.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/maybe-he-suffered-jet-lag-former-pakistan-captain-reacts-after-ponting-compares-suryakumar-to-de-villiers-507530" hreflang="en">Maybe he suffered jet lag: Former Pakistan captain reacts after Ponting compares Suryakumar to De Villiers</a>

But fret not, it seems like the organisers have heard the fans' prayers, offering those vying to acquire tickets a second lease on life. The high demand for tickets prompted the organisers to present a fresh batch of passes, which went on sale at&nbsp;10 am on&nbsp;Wednesday, August 17th. However, they have moved to add a new condition to the fresh batch of tickets.&nbsp;

Shortly after releasing a fresh batch of tickets for the highly anticipated match,&nbsp;Platinum List, the ticketing partner for the tournament released a statement, declaring a policy change with regards to the sale of India vs. Pakistan tickets, "Please note that according to the organisers, India-Pakistan tickets will now be available only in packages with other matches."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-did-not-see-that-coming-dinesh-karthik-recalls-rohit-sharmas-low-point-that-tore-him-to-shreds-507461" hreflang="en">He did not see that coming: Dinesh Karthik recalls Rohit Sharma's low point that 'tore him to shreds'</a>

This essentially means that fans hoping to catch a glimpse of India and Pakistan going toe-to-toe against each other will have to bundle their purchase of the tickets for the game with that of other matches, which means that fans will have to part ways with higher amounts of money in order to acquire the new batch of passes. The action is set to unfold on August 28th at the&nbsp;Dubai International Stadium.

The rivalry between India and Pakistan has transcended borders and is popularly hailed as one of, if not the most, heated and storied contests in international cricket.

The rivalry between India and Pakistan has transcended borders and is popularly hailed as one of, if not the most, heated and storied contests in international cricket. Therefore, it is only natural for fans to jump at the opportunity to watch the two legendary teams lock horns on the cricket pitch. The demand for these passes was such that they sold out in mere minutes. The overwhelming desire for the tickets resulted in a myriad of fans queueing up for hours in vain as they were sold out shortly thereafter, forcing those fans to walk away empty-handed. ALSO READ: Maybe he suffered jet lag: Former Pakistan captain reacts after Ponting compares Suryakumar to De Villiers But fret not, it seems like the organisers have heard the fans' prayers, offering those vying to acquire tickets a second lease on life. The high demand for tickets prompted the organisers to present a fresh batch of passes, which went on sale at 10 am on Wednesday, August 17th. However, they have moved to add a new condition to the fresh batch of tickets. Shortly after releasing a fresh batch of tickets for the highly anticipated match, Platinum List, the ticketing partner for the tournament released a statement, declaring a policy change with regards to the sale of India vs. Pakistan tickets, "Please note that according to the organisers, India-Pakistan tickets will now be available only in packages with other matches." ALSO READ: He did not see that coming: Dinesh Karthik recalls Rohit Sharma's low point that 'tore him to shreds' This essentially means that fans hoping to catch a glimpse of India and Pakistan going toe-to-toe against each other will have to bundle their purchase of the tickets for the game with that of other matches, which means that fans will have to part ways with higher amounts of money in order to acquire the new batch of passes. The action is set to unfold on August 28th at the Dubai International Stadium.

High demand for India-Pakistan Asia Cup tickets prompts increase in availability of passes and a policy change

It was an exciting cricket world cup match on Sunday as India beat Pakistan by 89 runs. As the world watched the adrenaline-high match, celebs from the subcontinent were spotted cheering for their respective teams.

It was an exciting cricket world cup match on Sunday as India beat Pakistan by 89 runs. As the world watched the adrenaline-high match, celebs from the subcontinent were spotted cheering for their respective teams. While the Indian side saw Saif Ali Khan, Anushka Sharma, Nita and son Aakash Ambani along with Ranveer Singh; there was Ali Zafar, singer-actor from the Pakistani side. Ranveer, in fact, was not there to just cheer for the Indian team but also tried his hand at commentary for the first time. He was seen in the commentary box alongside cricketing legends Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Brian Lara and Ramiz Raja. Ranveer turned a sports presenter for the match. View this post on Instagram #krunalpandya #akashambani and #nitaambani for the world cup matches #viralbhayani @viralbhayani A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) on Jun 16, 2019 at 8:22am PDT × View this post on Instagram #saifalikhan with #poojabedi daughter #aaliaf at Manchester today for #IndiaVsPakistan match #viralbhayani @viralbhayani A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) on Jun 16, 2019 at 5:38am PDT × View this post on Instagram Just a couple of cricket FANATICS @theofficialfanatic #SaifAliKhan get on the gram 😜 #bleedblue #indvspak # A post shared by Shibani Dandekar (@shibanidandekar) on Jun 16, 2019 at 5:34am PDT × Dressed in a beige check suit and chunky sunglasses, Ranveer was also seen on the ground right before the match started at Old Trafford. He layered the look with two overcoats. See pictures: View this post on Instagram Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh makes his commentary debut with Star Sports alongside Sunil Gavaskar and Jatin Sapru for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 @starsportsindia #ranveersingh #viralbhayani @viralbhayani A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) on Jun 16, 2019 at 5:22am PDT × View this post on Instagram #ranveersingh with #zainababbas the famous sports anchor from Pakistan for the big match #viralbhayani @viralbhayani A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) on Jun 16, 2019 at 2:35am PDT × Ranveer will soon be seen in ‘83’, a film on India’s first cricket world cup victory in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev (played by Singh). The film will also see Ranveer get together with real-life wife Deepika Padukone, first time after marriage. The real couple will play reel couple. Read in detail about Deepika’s role in the film and how much money she is charging for it. Meanwhile, the film is directed by Kabir Khan and is co-produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Madhu Mantena. The film also stars Tahir Raj Bhasin as Sunil Gavaskar, Saqib Saleem as Mohinder Amarnath, Jiiva as Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Sahil Khattar as Syed Kirmani, Chirag Patil as Sandeep Patil, Adinath Kothare as Dilip Vengsarkar, Dhairya Karwa as Ravi Shastri, Jatin Sarna as Yashpal Sharma, Vijay Varma as Roger Binny[, Harrdy Sandhu as Madan Lal and R Badree as Sunil Valson. It will hit theatres next year. Actor Pankaj Tripathi will be seen in the film in the role of team manager Man Singh. The film is slated to hit theatres on April 10, 2020.

Ranveer Singh turns commentator during high-profile India vs Pakistan world cup match

It was a perfect Sunday for cricket fans across the subcontinent as India and Pakistan played their first match at the ongoing Cricket World Cup. The excitement at the stadium was palpable as fans excitedly cheered for their respective teams. The presence of Ranveer Singh at the stadium just added more fun for the Indian fans.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ranveer-singh-turns-commentator-during-high-profile-india-vs-pakistan-world-cup-match-227823">Singh, who made a surprise entry at the stadium,</a> even tried his hand in cricket commentary as he cheered for team India. As India register its seventh <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-beat-pakistan-by-89-runs-at-world-cup-227784">World Cup victory over their arch-rivals Pakistan</a> at Old Trafford in Manchester, Singh personally went down to the ground to wish and congratulate the team's captain, Virat Kohli.&nbsp;

A video that's been doing the rounds of social media shows Ranveer walking up to Virat, wishing him and giving him a hug post the match. Watching this warm gesture, cricket statistician Mazher Arshad tweeted, "Ranveer Singh literally bowed down before Virat Kohli and then gives him a congratulatory hug. Don't think India has produced a more love-able cricketer than Kohli. Deserves to win everything."&nbsp;

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Ranveer Singh literally bowed down before Virat Kohli and then gives him a congratulatory hug. Don't think India has produced a more love-able cricketer than Kohli. Deserves to win everything. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvPak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvPak</a>
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) <a href="https://twitter.com/MazherArshad/status/1140331152865144832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Arshad was not the only one gushing over the video. There were other fans too who could not stop gushing over the two stars.&nbsp;

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I GOT IT. I GOT THE VIDEO. AH, LOOK AT THEM. This is like dream turning into reality. VIRAT KOHLI AND RANVEER HUGGING EACH OTHER AND HAVING A CONVERSATION. I might collapse. This is too much happiness for me. <a href="https://t.co/JuEwQRZDlk">pic.twitter.com/JuEwQRZDlk</a>
— V. ◟̽◞̽ (@_heavenlyInsane) <a href="https://twitter.com/_heavenlyInsane/status/1140335960854413312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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📷| Ranveer Singh Met and Hugged <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> After <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvPAK</a> Match at old Trafford , today ♥️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC2019</a> 
 
_ 
Awww♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ <a href="https://t.co/BcFqWmve1D">pic.twitter.com/BcFqWmve1D</a>
— Ranveer Singh TB (@Ranveertbt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ranveertbt/status/1140335400873074688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Ranveer will soon be seen in ‘83’, a film on India’s first cricket world cup victory in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev (played by Singh). The film will also see Ranveer get together with real-life wife Deepika Padukone, first time after marriage. The real couple will play reel couple. Read in detail about Deepika’s role in the film and how much money she is charging for it.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

It was a perfect Sunday for cricket fans across the subcontinent as India and Pakistan played their first match at the ongoing Cricket World Cup. The excitement at the stadium was palpable as fans excitedly cheered for their respective teams.

It was a perfect Sunday for cricket fans across the subcontinent as India and Pakistan played their first match at the ongoing Cricket World Cup. The excitement at the stadium was palpable as fans excitedly cheered for their respective teams. The presence of Ranveer Singh at the stadium just added more fun for the Indian fans. Singh, who made a surprise entry at the stadium, even tried his hand in cricket commentary as he cheered for team India. As India register its seventh World Cup victory over their arch-rivals Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, Singh personally went down to the ground to wish and congratulate the team's captain, Virat Kohli. A video that's been doing the rounds of social media shows Ranveer walking up to Virat, wishing him and giving him a hug post the match. Watching this warm gesture, cricket statistician Mazher Arshad tweeted, "Ranveer Singh literally bowed down before Virat Kohli and then gives him a congratulatory hug. Don't think India has produced a more love-able cricketer than Kohli. Deserves to win everything." Ranveer Singh literally bowed down before Virat Kohli and then gives him a congratulatory hug. Don't think India has produced a more love-able cricketer than Kohli. Deserves to win everything. #IndvPak — Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) June 16, 2019 × Arshad was not the only one gushing over the video. There were other fans too who could not stop gushing over the two stars. I GOT IT. I GOT THE VIDEO. AH, LOOK AT THEM. This is like dream turning into reality. VIRAT KOHLI AND RANVEER HUGGING EACH OTHER AND HAVING A CONVERSATION. I might collapse. This is too much happiness for me. pic.twitter.com/JuEwQRZDlk — V. ◟̽◞̽ (@_heavenlyInsane) June 16, 2019 × 📷| Ranveer Singh Met and Hugged @imVkohli After #INDvPAK Match at old Trafford , today ♥️ #CWC2019 _ Awww♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ pic.twitter.com/BcFqWmve1D — Ranveer Singh TB (@Ranveertbt) June 16, 2019 × Ranveer will soon be seen in ‘83’, a film on India’s first cricket world cup victory in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev (played by Singh). The film will also see Ranveer get together with real-life wife Deepika Padukone, first time after marriage. The real couple will play reel couple. Read in detail about Deepika’s role in the film and how much money she is charging for it.

Ranveer Singh hugged Virat Kohli after India's win against Pakistan and Twitter can't stop gushing

Pakistan will be seething for revenge and hopefully, India will face a more intense contest on September 23, the second time when the two teams will battle it out in the Asia Cup.&nbsp;

But this time it will be for the final spot.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, in front of a capacity crowd, the sub-continent neighbours resumed their cricket-rivalry with India thumping Pakistan by 8 wickets in a group A match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The game was the first between the two teams since Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs in the final of ICC Champions Trophy at London's Oval in June last year.

However, an all-round performance from the Men In Blue ensured an easy victory with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and spinner Kedar Jadhav clinching three wickets each while skipper Rohit Sharma playing a crucial knock of 52 during India’s chase.&nbsp;

Pakistan, who brought what was regarded as their strongest squad to the Asia Cup, failed to deliver both in batting and bowling department.

&nbsp;The team's performance seemed like a mixture of nervousness mixed with a degree of incompetence.&nbsp;

After the opening partnership yielded very little, it was down to Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik to provide some semblance of respectability. And they surely did, taking Pakistan's score from 3 to 85 runs.&nbsp;

The two were strong but Kuldeep Yadav's googly broke the partnership to dismiss Azam for 47 runs.&nbsp;

However, his progress in ODIs is indeed one of the greatest positives in Pakistan cricket at the moment as his batting continued to show why the faith in his abilities by Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur is fully justified.&nbsp;

His stroke-play and excellent temperament are improving with every innings and he was one of very few bright spots against India.&nbsp;

Malik, for his part, is the only survivor of the ‘veteran’ pack. His 43 under trying circumstances once again displayed his importance in a team that has a shortage of experienced players.

Likewise, Pakistani speedsters, who failed to deplete the Indian batting line-up, are expected to enter the ground with a different strategy.

And as said, cricket cannot afford the same mistake, and hence Pakistan will come back strong and this is something India has to take seriously despite having an edge over the neighbours.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Pakistan will be seething for revenge and hopefully, India will face a more intense contest on September 23, the second time when the two teams will battle it out in the Asia Cup.

Pakistan will be seething for revenge and hopefully, India will face a more intense contest on September 23, the second time when the two teams will battle it out in the Asia Cup. But this time it will be for the final spot. On Wednesday, in front of a capacity crowd, the sub-continent neighbours resumed their cricket-rivalry with India thumping Pakistan by 8 wickets in a group A match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The game was the first between the two teams since Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs in the final of ICC Champions Trophy at London's Oval in June last year. However, an all-round performance from the Men In Blue ensured an easy victory with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and spinner Kedar Jadhav clinching three wickets each while skipper Rohit Sharma playing a crucial knock of 52 during India’s chase. Pakistan, who brought what was regarded as their strongest squad to the Asia Cup, failed to deliver both in batting and bowling department. The team's performance seemed like a mixture of nervousness mixed with a degree of incompetence. After the opening partnership yielded very little, it was down to Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik to provide some semblance of respectability. And they surely did, taking Pakistan's score from 3 to 85 runs. The two were strong but Kuldeep Yadav's googly broke the partnership to dismiss Azam for 47 runs. However, his progress in ODIs is indeed one of the greatest positives in Pakistan cricket at the moment as his batting continued to show why the faith in his abilities by Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur is fully justified. His stroke-play and excellent temperament are improving with every innings and he was one of very few bright spots against India. Malik, for his part, is the only survivor of the ‘veteran’ pack. His 43 under trying circumstances once again displayed his importance in a team that has a shortage of experienced players. Likewise, Pakistani speedsters, who failed to deplete the Indian batting line-up, are expected to enter the ground with a different strategy. And as said, cricket cannot afford the same mistake, and hence Pakistan will come back strong and this is something India has to take seriously despite having an edge over the neighbours. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 Opinion: India vs Pakistan - why it won't be another one-sided affair

India captain Virat Kohli said staying &quot;close to reality&quot; was the best way to carry the hopes of a cricket-crazy nation heading into a Champions Trophy final against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Sunday&#39;s showpiece match at the Oval in London is a 24,500 sell-out, with millions more around the world expected to watch the high-profile match.&nbsp;

Reigning champions India are the favourites, having launched their title-defence with a 124-run thrashing of Pakistan at Birmingham&#39;s Edgbaston on June 4.

A lone loss to Sri Lanka apart, India have been in commanding form.

Kohli&#39;s own performances at the Champions Trophy have seen him return to the top of the one-day international batting rankings.

His four innings, including three not outs, have left him with a colossal tournament batting average of 253 heading into the final.

This week also saw the 28-year-old Kohli become the fastest man to score 8,000 ODI runs, reaching the landmark in 175 innings -- seven fewer than South Africa star AB de Villiers&#39;s 182.

Kohli already has 27 ODI centuries to his name, with a career strike-rate in excess of 91, and such has been the passionate drive with which he has led India that his fortunes and those of the team as a whole now seem indivisible.

&quot;I know there are expectations, I know there are people that expect the team and me to do well every time we play,&quot; Kohli told reporters at the Oval on Saturday. &quot;But I understand as a player and as a person that it&#39;s not possible.&quot;

He added: &quot;You have to be close to reality.

&quot;This (pressure) is a part of being an Indian cricketer, you have to find a way to deal with it. You can&#39;t ignore it.

&quot;You have to maintain a balance and then focus on what you need to do on the field.

&quot;I think I&#39;ve been able to strike a good balance until now and I&#39;m sure I&#39;ll be fine tomorrow.&quot;

Meanwhile Kohli said it was important for players to ration their use of sites such as Twitter.&nbsp;

&quot;The biggest thing is to stay off social media,&quot; he said.

&quot;If you&#39;re too distracted listening to too many suggestions or players or criticism, then you can&#39;t focus on what you need to think as a sportsman first to be able to lead the team and then help the others in the team as well.

&quot;The more relaxed you stay in these situations it&#39;s a good thing, because it helps you take better decisions when you are composed and calm mentally.&quot;

Kohli&#39;s cool temperament has often been seen to good effect in many a run chase, a quality which could yet prove useful on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;If you are thinking &#39;we are three down and I might get out&#39;, then you will get out,&quot; he said.

&quot;If you&#39;re thinking &#39;we&#39;re three down, I&#39;m going to counter-attack and get the team back on track&#39;, it ends up happening, because you&#39;re convinced about it.

&quot;That&#39;s something I work on. I visualise a lot, and I see myself in difficult situations and actually convincing myself that I can pull the team out in those situations.

&quot;It won&#39;t happen every time, but eight out of 10 times it will end up happening because you&#39;re so convinced about it.&quot;

Meanwhile Kohli played down the importance of a group win against a Pakistan side who have since defeated top-ranked South Africa and Sri Lanka in pool play before thrashing previously unbeaten tournament hosts England by eight wickets in the semi-finals. &nbsp;

&quot;On their day they can beat any side in the world,&quot; said Kohli of Pakistan.

&quot;That&#39;s the kind of players they have, we&#39;re quite aware of that,&quot; added Kohli, with India hammering Bangladesh by nine wickets in Thursday&#39;s second semi-final at Edgbaston.

&quot;But, at the same time, neither are we too intimidated nor are we too arrogant about what we are doing.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Reigning champions India are the favourites, having launched their title-defence with a 124-run thrashing of Pakistan on June 4

India captain Virat Kohli said staying "close to reality" was the best way to carry the hopes of a cricket-crazy nation heading into a Champions Trophy final against arch-rivals Pakistan. Sunday's showpiece match at the Oval in London is a 24,500 sell-out, with millions more around the world expected to watch the high-profile match. Reigning champions India are the favourites, having launched their title-defence with a 124-run thrashing of Pakistan at Birmingham's Edgbaston on June 4. A lone loss to Sri Lanka apart, India have been in commanding form. Kohli's own performances at the Champions Trophy have seen him return to the top of the one-day international batting rankings. His four innings, including three not outs, have left him with a colossal tournament batting average of 253 heading into the final. This week also saw the 28-year-old Kohli become the fastest man to score 8,000 ODI runs, reaching the landmark in 175 innings -- seven fewer than South Africa star AB de Villiers's 182. Kohli already has 27 ODI centuries to his name, with a career strike-rate in excess of 91, and such has been the passionate drive with which he has led India that his fortunes and those of the team as a whole now seem indivisible. "I know there are expectations, I know there are people that expect the team and me to do well every time we play," Kohli told reporters at the Oval on Saturday. "But I understand as a player and as a person that it's not possible." He added: "You have to be close to reality. "This (pressure) is a part of being an Indian cricketer, you have to find a way to deal with it. You can't ignore it. "You have to maintain a balance and then focus on what you need to do on the field. "I think I've been able to strike a good balance until now and I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow." Meanwhile Kohli said it was important for players to ration their use of sites such as Twitter. "The biggest thing is to stay off social media," he said. "If you're too distracted listening to too many suggestions or players or criticism, then you can't focus on what you need to think as a sportsman first to be able to lead the team and then help the others in the team as well. "The more relaxed you stay in these situations it's a good thing, because it helps you take better decisions when you are composed and calm mentally." Kohli's cool temperament has often been seen to good effect in many a run chase, a quality which could yet prove useful on Sunday. "If you are thinking 'we are three down and I might get out', then you will get out," he said. "If you're thinking 'we're three down, I'm going to counter-attack and get the team back on track', it ends up happening, because you're convinced about it. "That's something I work on. I visualise a lot, and I see myself in difficult situations and actually convincing myself that I can pull the team out in those situations. "It won't happen every time, but eight out of 10 times it will end up happening because you're so convinced about it." Meanwhile Kohli played down the importance of a group win against a Pakistan side who have since defeated top-ranked South Africa and Sri Lanka in pool play before thrashing previously unbeaten tournament hosts England by eight wickets in the semi-finals. "On their day they can beat any side in the world," said Kohli of Pakistan. "That's the kind of players they have, we're quite aware of that," added Kohli, with India hammering Bangladesh by nine wickets in Thursday's second semi-final at Edgbaston. "But, at the same time, neither are we too intimidated nor are we too arrogant about what we are doing." (AFP)

Have to be close to reality, says Virat Kohli ahead of India-Pakistan final

Indian women maintained their supremacy in the Asia Cup by beating arch-rivals Pakistan for their sixth title in as many editions here today.

Mithali Raj, who was removed as T20 captain before the start of the tournament, made a statement with an unbeaten 73 to guide India to 121 for five in 20 overs.

The bowlers then bowled brilliantly to limit Pakistan to 104 for six, completing a comprehensive 17-run win. The star with ball once against was left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht, who took two wickets conceding 22 runs in her four overs.

It was the second time that India got the better of Pakistan in the competition, having beaten them by five wickets in the league stage besides remaining unbeaten in five games en route to the final.

It was also a sweet revenge of sorts for India, who had lost to Pakistan during the World T20 at home in March.

Recently, the ICC had docked them six points for not playing Pakistan.

With the memorable win, India also managed to maintain their enviable record in the continental event, having won all the six editions to have taken place so far.

However, the first four editions starting from 2004 were played in the 50 over format and the following two have been in the shortest format. In the last edition held in Guangzhou in 2012, India lifted the trophy after defeating Pakistan in the final.

The champion team could not have repeated the feat if it was not for the superlative efforts from Raj and Bisht.

Raj was instrumental in the team&#39;s resounding success, amassing 220 runs in four innings to end as the tournament&#39;s highest run scorer in the competition by some distance. Second in the list was Pakistan&#39;s Javeria Khan with 128 runs in six innings.

Raj kept calm in both tense games against Pakistan to help the team&#39;s cause. Her 73 not out in the final was her highest score in the tournament and it came in quick time at the top of the order. She ended with a strike rate of 112, smashing seven fours and a six.

It was also an occasion where the veteran made amends for her slow batting during World T20 where India lost to arch-rivals.

With her showing, the 34-year-old displayed she still has a lot to offer in the T20 format after being sacked as captain to make way for Harmanpreet Kaur.

The new captain had a quiet tournament by her standards as the all-rounder failed to muster up a 30 plus score in six innings and took just two wickets.

Left-arm spinner Bisht came good for India with the ball, ending as the team&#39;s most successful bowler with 10 wickets at an average of 5.20.

She, along with the rest of the bowlers, ensured Pakistan never got close to the target.

(PTI)

It was the second time that India got the better of Pakistan in the competition, having beaten them by five wickets in the league stage

Indian women maintained their supremacy in the Asia Cup by beating arch-rivals Pakistan for their sixth title in as many editions here today. Mithali Raj, who was removed as T20 captain before the start of the tournament, made a statement with an unbeaten 73 to guide India to 121 for five in 20 overs. The bowlers then bowled brilliantly to limit Pakistan to 104 for six, completing a comprehensive 17-run win. The star with ball once against was left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht, who took two wickets conceding 22 runs in her four overs. It was the second time that India got the better of Pakistan in the competition, having beaten them by five wickets in the league stage besides remaining unbeaten in five games en route to the final. It was also a sweet revenge of sorts for India, who had lost to Pakistan during the World T20 at home in March. Recently, the ICC had docked them six points for not playing Pakistan. With the memorable win, India also managed to maintain their enviable record in the continental event, having won all the six editions to have taken place so far. However, the first four editions starting from 2004 were played in the 50 over format and the following two have been in the shortest format. In the last edition held in Guangzhou in 2012, India lifted the trophy after defeating Pakistan in the final. The champion team could not have repeated the feat if it was not for the superlative efforts from Raj and Bisht. Raj was instrumental in the team's resounding success, amassing 220 runs in four innings to end as the tournament's highest run scorer in the competition by some distance. Second in the list was Pakistan's Javeria Khan with 128 runs in six innings. Raj kept calm in both tense games against Pakistan to help the team's cause. Her 73 not out in the final was her highest score in the tournament and it came in quick time at the top of the order. She ended with a strike rate of 112, smashing seven fours and a six. It was also an occasion where the veteran made amends for her slow batting during World T20 where India lost to arch-rivals. With her showing, the 34-year-old displayed she still has a lot to offer in the T20 format after being sacked as captain to make way for Harmanpreet Kaur. The new captain had a quiet tournament by her standards as the all-rounder failed to muster up a 30 plus score in six innings and took just two wickets. Left-arm spinner Bisht came good for India with the ball, ending as the team's most successful bowler with 10 wickets at an average of 5.20. She, along with the rest of the bowlers, ensured Pakistan never got close to the target. (PTI)

Womens' Asia Cup: India beat Pakistan to win 6th title