KEY POINTS
- Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 30 off 16 balls set the tone for India’s dominant chase
- Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 20 from 9 balls, while captain Suryakumar Yadav supported with a quick 7 not out
- Kuldeep Yadav was the star bowler, taking 4 wickets for 11 runs
- Shivam Dube contributed with the ball too, picking up 3 wickets for 8 runs
DUBAI: India started their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a dominant nine-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, chasing down a modest 57-run target in only 4.3 overs at the Dubai Cricket Stadium.
India chased down the modest target of 57 runs set by the United Arab Emirates with ease, sealing the victory in just 4.3 overs.
The team’s openers laid the foundation with a blistering start that left the UAE bowlers struggling to keep up.
Abhishek Sharma led the charge, scoring a quickfire 30 runs off just 16 balls, including 2 boundaries and 3 sixes before falling to Junaid Siddique.
His aggressive innings set the tone for the chase and kept the scoreboard ticking at a rapid pace.
Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 20 runs from 9 deliveries, smashing 2 fours and a six with an impressive strike rate of 222.22.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav also stayed not out with 7 runs from just 2 balls, supporting Gill as the pair finished the game comfortably.
India reached 60 for the loss of just one wicket, cruising past the target with 93 balls remaining—a remarkable margin and one of the biggest wins in their T20I history.
The team showed exceptional intent and skill, making light work of the UAE’s bowling attack.
Several key players, including Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Jasprit Bumrah, were rested after the convincing win, as India looks to build momentum for their upcoming matches.
The UAE’s total of 57 runs, which they struggled to compile in 13.1 overs, was no match for India’s explosive batting, as the visitors dominated from start to finish.
This victory cements India’s status as strong contenders in the tournament and a team to watch in international cricket.
Earlier, India won the toss and opted to field first under hot Dubai skies, dominated UAE batters with only the opening pair of UAE entering double figures.
The left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was unplayable on the slow, turning surface, finishing with 4 wickets for just 11 runs in his 3-over spell.
He dismissed the UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem, as well as key batters Rahul Chopra, Harshit Kaushik, and Haider Ali, breaking the backbone of the batting order.
Shivam Dube, better known for his power hitting, showed his value with the ball, bagging 3 wickets for 8 runs. He cleaned up the tail swiftly, claiming Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, and Junaid Siddique with intelligent variations.
India Playing XI
1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy
UAE Playing XI
1 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 2 Alishan Sharafu, 3 Rahul Chopra (wk), 4 Asif Khan, 5 Muhammad Farooq, 6 Harshit Kaushik, 7 Muhammad Zohaib, 8 Muhammad Jawadullah/Saghir Khan, 9 Haider Ali, 10 Junaid Siddique, 11 Muhammad Rohid
