India crush UAE by 9 wickets in Asia Cup 2025 clash

• Kuldeep Yadav shines with four wickets for seven runs.
• Sharma smashes 30 as India chase target in 4.3 overs.
• Gill, Suryakumar seal victory with unbeaten partnership.
  

India began their ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 campaign by inflicting a crushing defeat on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing a modest 58-run target, the former champions comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just one wicket and 93 balls to spare.

Leading the way for them was left-handed opener Sharma, who top-scored with a quickfire 30 off just 16 deliveries, studded with two fours and three sixes.

He was involved in a 48-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill, who remained unbeaten with 20 off nine deliveries, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav made seven not out.

For UAE, Junaid Siddique could pick up a wicket.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s decision to field first proved beneficial as his team’s dominant bowling performance bowled out UAE for 57 in 13.1 overs.

UAE, however, had a relatively decent start to their innings as their opening pair of Alishan Sharafu and skipper Muhammad Waseem put together 26 runs at a brisk rate.

The opening stand eventually culminated in the fourth over when Jasprit Bumrah outclassed Sharafu with a well-executed yorker. He remained the top scorer for UAE with 22 off 17 deliveries, featuring three fours and a six.

UAE then suffered another setback in the next over, when Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Muhammad Zohaib (two), and consequently slipped to 29/2.

Following the back-to-back blows, skipper Waseem registered a one-sided 18-run partnership for the third wicket with Rahul Chopra (three) before both perished in quick succession. Waseem scored a cautious 19 off 22 deliveries with the help of three fours.

His dismissal sparked a match-defining collapse, which saw UAE lose their remaining six wickets for just nine runs and were thus bowled out for a paltry total.

Kuldeep Yadav was the standout bowler for India, taking four wickets for just seven runs in his 2.1 overs, followed by Shivam Dube with three, while Axar Patel, Chakravarthy and Bumrah chipped in with one apiece.