Dubai, September 10, 2025: Kuldeep Yadav’s magical spell dismantled a clueless UAE batting line-up as India strolled to a commanding nine-wicket win in their Asia Cup opener.
The hosts folded meekly for just 57 in 13.1 overs, with Kuldeep returning exceptional figures of 4 for 7 in 2.1 overs. India, in reply, needed only 4.3 overs to wrap up the chase, led by Abhishek Sharma’s brisk 30 off 16 and vice-captain Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 20 off nine deliveries.
Ironically, the winning shot came off UAE’s Simranjeet Singh, who once bowled to Gill during the latter’s childhood practice sessions in Punjab.
India’s bowling unit executed captain Suryakumar Yadav and mentor Gautam Gambhir’s plans to perfection on a Dubai surface that offered sharp turn. Jasprit Bumrah set the tone with a searing yorker to dismiss Alishan Sharafu (22), UAE’s lone bright spot, before the spinners took over. Varun Chakravarthy (1/4), Axar Patel (1/13), and Shivam Dube (3/4) combined with Kuldeep to leave UAE’s batters clueless against quality spin.
Dube, bowling in the high 120s with clever variations, claimed his career-best figures and cleaned up the tail in style. Kuldeep, fresh from a frustrating England tour where he didn’t get a game, was unplayable, foxing Rahul Chopra and Harshit Kaushik with trademark variations. Skipper Muhammad Waseem (19) also fell trying to sweep him.
In total, UAE failed to score off 52 of the 81 legal deliveries faced, underlining their struggles against India’s spin-heavy attack.
India’s reply resembled a batting exhibition, more a highlights reel than a chase, as Abhishek and Gill treated the UAE bowlers with disdain to complete an emphatic victory well before the scheduled finish.
