UAE, 10 September (Sports Desk)
India began their Asia Cup 2025 defense with a clinical 9-wicket thrashing of hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Group A opener at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 10, 2025. Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s side bowled UAE out for a record-low 57—the lowest total against India in T20Is and the second-lowest in Asia Cup T20 history—before chasing it down in just 4.3 overs. This emphatic victory boosted India’s net run rate and set a commanding tone for the tournament. Below is a complete, ball-by-ball inspired match report, including key performances, pivotal moments, and analysis.
Match Overview
- Date and Time: September 10, 2025, 8:00 PM IST (6:30 PM local time, toss at 7:30 PM IST)
- Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, UAE
- Format: T20 International (Match No. 3444)
- Toss: India won the toss and elected to bowl first (ending a streak of 15 consecutive toss losses across formats).
- Result: India won by 9 wickets (with 93 balls remaining).
- Player of the Match: Kuldeep Yadav (4/7 in 2.1 overs).
- Cricinfo’s MVP: Kuldeep Yadav (high impact points for his devastating spell).
- Umpires: Gazi Sohel (BAN), Izatullah Safi (AFG)
- TV Umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
- Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
- Man of the Match (India’s Perspective): Shivam Dube (3/4 in 3 overs) for his economical spell.
Match Summary
- UAE Innings: 57 all out (13.1 overs)
- Top Scorers: Alishan Sharafu (22 off 21 balls, 3×4), Muhammad Waseem (10 off 8 balls, 1×4)
- Key Bowlers (India): Kuldeep Yadav (4/7, 2.1 overs), Shivam Dube (3/4, 3 overs), Axar Patel (1/10, 3 overs), Jasprit Bumrah (1/12, 4 overs)
- India Innings: 60/1 (4.3 overs, target: 58)
- Top Scorers: Abhishek Sharma (31* off 16 balls, 5×4), Shubman Gill (19 off 8 balls, 4×4)
- Key Bowler (UAE): Junaid Siddique (0/10, 1 over; dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal for 0)
- Margin of Victory: India won by 9 wickets with 93 balls remaining.
- Partnerships (India): Abhishek Sharma & Shubman Gill (40* off 3.5 overs for the 1st wicket).
- Fall of Wickets (UAE): 26/1 (3.2 ov), 29/2 (5.1 ov), 39/3 (7.2 ov), 41/4 (8.1 ov), 41/5 (8.2 ov), 41/6 (8.4 ov), 45/7 (10.1 ov), 57/8 (13.1 ov), 57/9 (13.1 ov), 57/10 (13.1 ov).
- Fall of Wickets (India): 40/1 (3.5 ov, Yashasvi Jaiswal 0).
UAE’s Innings: Historic Collapse Triggered by Kuldeep’s Magic
India’s choice to bowl first on a fresh, grass-topped pitch with humid conditions (36°C) paid immediate dividends. Hardik Pandya opened the bowling—a tactical surprise—and conceded 10 runs in his first over, with Alishan Sharafu smashing back-to-back fours. However, Jasprit Bumrah struck in his first over, dismissing Sharafu (22 off 21 balls) with a sharp bouncer edged to Sanju Samson behind the stumps, leaving UAE at 26/1 after 3.2 overs.
Varun Chakravarthy then removed UAE captain Muhammad Waseem (10 off 8 balls), bowled by a googly that spun back sharply, reducing UAE to 29/2 in 5.1 overs. The middle order crumbled as Kuldeep Yadav unleashed a devastating spell. In the 9th over, Kuldeep took three wickets for no runs: Asif Khan (lbw, 2 off 5 balls), Harshit Kaushik (caught at short leg, 0 off 1 ball), and Ehsan Khan (bowled, 0 off 1 ball), reducing UAE to 41/5 in 8.2 overs. UAE never recovered, with Shivam Dube (3/4) cleaning up the tail—dismissing Muhammad Jawadullah (1 off 5 balls), Saghir Khan (2 off 3 balls), and Haider Ali (1 off 2 balls).
UAE’s innings ended at 57 all out in 13.1 overs, the lowest total against India in T20Is (previous low: New Zealand’s 66 in 2023) and the second-lowest in Asia Cup T20 history (after Hong Kong’s 40 vs Pakistan in 2004). Nine UAE batters scored in single digits, with Rahul Chopra’s 15 (off 18 balls) being the only other notable contribution. India’s fielding was sharp, with a run-out by Abhishek Sharma adding to UAE’s woes.
India’s Innings: Abhishek and Gill’s Powerplay Blitz
Chasing 58, India raced to 60/1 in just 4.3 overs, making it the second-fastest chase in Asia Cup T20 history (after India’s 5.1 overs vs Hong Kong in 2008). Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal fell for a duck in the first over to Junaid Siddique, edging to Rahul Chopra behind the stumps. However, Abhishek Sharma (31* off 16 balls, 5×4) and Shubman Gill (19 off 8 balls, 4×4) forged a 40-run partnership off 3.5 overs, blasting 10 boundaries in the powerplay (60/1).
Abhishek’s aggressive strokeplay, including a six over long-on, and Gill’s elegant drives sealed the win. The chase was completed in the 5th over, with Abhishek hitting the winning boundary. UAE’s bowlers were unable to mount any threat, conceding runs at over 13 per over in the powerplay.
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Key Moments
- Toss and Powerplay Pressure: India’s toss win (ending 15 consecutive losses) allowed them to exploit the fresh pitch. UAE reached 26/0 after 3 overs but lost 10 wickets for 31 runs.
- Kuldeep’s Devastating Over: In the 9th over, Kuldeep took 3/0, including a hat-trick of lbw, caught, and bowled, reducing UAE to 41/5—the turning point of the innings.
- Shivam Dube’s Economy: Dube’s 3/4 in 3 overs (economy 1.33) was the most economical spell in Asia Cup T20 history, cleaning up the tail.
- India’s Powerplay Explosion: Abhishek and Gill’s 40-run stand in 3.5 overs, with 10 boundaries, made the chase a formality.
- UAE’s Historic Low: 57 all out is UAE’s lowest T20I total and the second-lowest against India (after NZ’s 66 in 2023).
Team Lineups
India Playing XI:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
- Bench: Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh.
UAE Playing XI:
- Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (wk), Asif Khan, Muhammad Zohaib, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique.
- Bench: Aryansh Sharma, Dhruv Parashar, Matiullah Khan, Ethan D’Souza, Simranjeet Singh.
Match Details
- Venue Conditions: Fresh pitch with grass, offering early seam movement (36°C, humid). Spinners dominated as the ball softened; dew favored chasing.
- Umpires: Gazi Sohel (BAN), Izatullah Safi (AFG)
- TV Umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
- Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
- Hours of Play: 18:30 local (first session 18:30-20:00, interval 20:00-20:20, second session 20:20-21:50).
Context and Impact
India, ranked No. 1 in T20Is and defending Asia Cup champions, were overwhelming favorites (odds 1.02 vs UAE’s 15.00). Their recent T20 World Cup win and 17 victories in 20 T20Is underscored their form. The match, under new head coach Gautam Gambhir, featured Shubman Gill’s return and Sanju Samson’s exclusion, with Yashasvi Jaiswal opening. Bumrah’s workload management was debated, but he delivered.
UAE, ranked 24th and hosts, aimed for an upset but collapsed, marking their lowest T20I total. Group A also includes Oman and Pakistan; this win boosts India’s NRR (+4.32). UAE’s participation as hosts provides exposure, but the skill gap was evident.
