FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 Jaishankar asks world to crack down on terror financing PARWINDER SANDHU New Delhi, September 28 In a direct hit at Islamabad, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called Pakistan an epicentre of global terrorism in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “India has confronted this challenge since Independence, having a neighbour that is an epicentre of global terrorism,” he said. Mr Jaishankar said: "While asserting our rights, we must also firmly face up to threats. For decades now, major international terrorist attacks have been traced back to that one country. UN-designated lists of terrorists are replete with its nationals. The most recent example of cross-border barbarism was the murder of innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April this year. India exercised its right to defend its people against terrorism and brought the organisers and perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justice.” Stating that terrorism is a shared threat, the EAM called for much deeper international cooperation and for choking the funding of countries that harbour terrorists. “When nations openly declare terrorism as state policy, when terror hubs operate on an industrial scale, when terrorists are publicly glorified, such actions must be unequivocally condemned. The financing of terrorism must be choked, even as prominent terrorists are sanctioned. Relentless pressure must be applied to the entire terrorism ecosystem,” he added. | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Monday, 29 September 2025 India Asian champs for 9th time; Tilak, Kuldeep shine TRIDIB BAPARNASH New Delhi, 28 September F or the third successive Sunday, India and Pakistan found themselves face-to-face in the 2025 Asia Cup, but this time the stakes were unlike any before. In the tournament’s 41-year history, never had the arch-rivals clashed in a final, and the weight of that occasion ensured the edge was sharper than ever. And this night, India not only embraced the pressure but rose above it, blending grit with brilliance to script their ninth Asia Cup triumph. The summit clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium was a tale of two halves. First came the spin-fuelled dominance, Kuldeep Yadav leading the charge with a four-wicket haul, that ripped apart Pakistan’s batting after a promising start, sending them crashing to 146 all out from a commanding 113/1. And then, the heart and resilience of India’s middle order, led by a mature, unbeaten 69 from Tilak Varma (photo), which turned nerves into triumph. By the time Rinku Singh’s boundary sealed the five-wicket win, the Indian dressing room had erupted, players bounding onto the field to celebrate a night that once again reinforced their supremacy in the T20 format. India’s chase began in the most unconvincing fashion. The crowd watched in shock as the top three batters departed within the powerplay, leaving the scoreboard wobbling at 20/3. Abhishek Sharma, India’s star through the tournament, perished early, while captain SuryakumarYadav’s lean patch continued. Shubman Gill too failed to convert, and suddenly, Pakistan smelled an opening. It was left to Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson to rebuild the innings, coming up with a defiant 57-run stand before leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed sent Samson back for a 21-ball 24. Shivam Dube help carry forward the momentum, hitting a six off Haris Rauf to reduce the equation to 17 off the final two overs. Faheem Ashraf managed to break the match-defining 60-run stand on his final ball, leaving India with 10 to get in the last over. Tilak whacked Rauf’s second ball for a six before Rinku Singh finished things off with a boundary. CM Mamata extends Puja wishes Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamul Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee extended their best wishes to the people of the state and prayed for their prosperity and success on Mahasasthi. Miss Banerjee posted a poem on the ‘X’ platform and uploaded a song which she had written and was sung by the singer-turned-politician and state IT minister, Babul Supriyo.