Both captains showed grit and leadership under pressure, but with the business end of the season approaching, their fitness will be closely monitored.
This is the first-ever India vs Pakistan final across 17 editions of the Men's Asia Cup since the tournament's inception in 1984.
India enjoy a dominant 9-3 win loss record against Pakistan in T20 Internationals, including a 7-1 margin in T20 World Cups.
'Everyone wants to be the best in the country. I would like to be someone the team can depend on to win games. That is what I want to be known for.'
As India gears up to face Oman on Friday, September 19, at the Dubai international stadium, the focus returns to cricket.
Axar Patel played a cracking cameo to finish off the game in style.
'Jaiswal has an avg of 36 & a strike rate of 164 in T20Is and he got dropped for Gill who has avg of 30 and a strike rate of 139.' 'There is no place for merit anymore.'
India, for all their internal debates and external expectations, look like the one side that has clarity of purpose. And clarity, in high-pressure tournaments, often counts for more than raw talent.
Delhi were placed strongly at 146/3 after 14 overs but a flurry of wickets in the death overs saw them restricted to 203/8.
From Sunny Deol's famous Dhaai Kilo Ka Haath to Shah Rukh Khan's Bade, Bade Deshon Mein... Axar made his teammates mouth these Bollywood, leaving everyone in the room in splits.
Despite outstanding performances in the IPL and on the international stage, several big names failed to make the cut.
DC skipper Axar Patel said four wins in four matches had given the team a huge boost in morale.
"Sometimes as a bowler, a batter is able to take his chances against you and get success. I saw videos with our bowling coach and my line and length were good, except for one ball. Sometimes, you get beat on good balls. But if you keep thinking about this, you will never make a comeback," he added.
How well will Shubman Gill fit in the T20 team? Is it a gamble by the selectors in order to unite captaincy across formats? asks Harish Kotian.
He's a champion bowler: Rahane hails Narine's game-changing spell
Thirty two wickets in only seven Tests innings is no mean feat and Axar Patel says the secret of his success lies in enjoying his craft and believing that he can't be 'pigeon-holed' as a T20 specialist.
Ponting is hoping to "get a bit more out of Axar" when he turns up for Delhi Capitals in this IPL.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji list India's Most Valuable ODI Players in the India-Australia T20 series.
Sai Sudharsan smashed an unbeaten century and captain Shubman Gill stroked a quickfire 93 as Gujarat Titans thrashed Delhi Capitals by an emphatic 10-wicket margin.
India will kickstart their campaign on September 10 against the UAE. Media reports suggest that Gill could make his return to the T20I team, possibly as vice-captain.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals played in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Delhi Capitals will be desperate to arrest their slump and stay in contention for a play-off berth when they take on high-flying Punjab Kings in a crucial IPL match in Dharamsala on Thursday.
Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah returned to India's T20 squad for next month's Asia Cup, but IPL star performers Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out.
Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel would like to quickly forget the underwhelming performances of his side in home conditions and get their stuttering campaign back on track when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are teetering on the edge of elimination, in the IPL match in Hyderabad on Monday.
Delhi Capitals have never won the IPL despite featuring top talent over the years. Under Axar Patel's leadership, they will hope IPL 2025 finally ends their title drought.
Rohit's early dismissal in the final against South Africa triggered a top-order collapse.
Axar Patel, who had a perfect view of Jaiswal's catch, was lavish in his praise.
For the penultimate over, Axar had the option to exercise Mitchell Starc's last over and Vipraj Nigam, who had bowled just a solitary over.
Delhi Capitals looked like a well-oiled machine with four wins in a row before a stunning batting meltdown against Mumbai Indians halted their momentum.
Narine stars as KKR keep playoff hopes alive with 14-run win over DC
Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel has expressed confidence in struggling opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, saying the Australian batsman has the potential to be a "game-changer" once he finds his rhythm.
Delhi Capitals' new captain Axar Patel has emphasized a simple approach as the team sets its sights on winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) title.
India captain Rohit Sharma had previously acknowledged Axar's recent fatherhood as a reason for his unavailability for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
But the hosts will be a confident group as star batter Virat Kohli made a return to run-making ways after an all too brief blip.
Mumbai Indians were the first team to leave the field while Delhi players stayed back doing light training but were eventually forced to call it off.
While MI's win will assure them of a place in the play-offs, Delhi Capitals need to win both their remaining games to advance.
DC still not sure of Axar Patel's availability for Punjab Kings tie.
Axar, who has led his state side Gujarat in 23 matches across formats, said he isn't one to lean heavily on analytics or prescribed captaincy templates.
Axar Patel revealed he was doing the math for Virat Kohli's century during their partnership in the India-Pakistan match, ensuring he didn't edge the ball to make sure Kohli reached his milestone
The Delhi Capitals will be looking to improve their batting performance in the middle overs when they face a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League match on Tuesday.
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