The way India started the Asia Cup 2025 made the picture of the tournament clear. In the first match played in Dubai, India registered a strong victory by defeating the United Arab Emirates by nine wickets. This success was achieved with 93 balls remaining, which further strengthened the team's confidence and made the direction of the campaign clear.
Batting first, the UAE performed much weaker than expected and were all out in 13.1 overs for just 57 runs. This proved to be their lowest score against India, as well as the second-lowest total in Asia Cup T20 history. Initially, Alishan Sharafu raised some hope by scoring 22 runs in 17 balls, but Jasprit Bumrah ended his innings with an accurate yorker. After this, the game went completely under India's control.
Kuldeep Yadav's magic was seen in bowling. He took four wickets for only seven runs in 2.1 overs and broke the backbone of the opposing team. The special thing was that he sent three batsmen to the pavilion in a single over.
At the same time, Shivam Dube took three wickets for four runs in two overs and showed his all-round ability. Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah got one success each. Another notable fact was that after the initial score of 26/0, the UAE added only 31 more runs, which clearly showed the dominance of Indian bowlers.
The target was so easy that India achieved it in the fastest way in history. The team scored 58 runs in 4.3 overs, and it became India's fastest run chase in men's T20 international cricket. Earlier this record was registered in 6.3 overs against Scotland in 2021.
Abhishek Sharma showed an aggressive approach as soon as he came to bat. He hit a six on the very first ball and made a mockery of the chase by scoring 30 runs in 16 balls. His innings included three sixes and two fours. On the other hand, Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 20 off nine balls and took the team to the target without any pressure.
To be honest, this match was an ideal start for India. Captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and decided to bowl first, and with this, India's streak of losing 15 consecutive international tosses was broken. The disciplined performance of the bowlers and the explosive start of the batsmen demonstrated the strength of the team. This victory not only strengthened the points table but also provided a golden opportunity to test the combination before the important match against Pakistan.
Key Achievements and Records:
- Fastest T20I Run Chase for India: India chased down the target of 58 runs in just 4.3 overs, marking their fastest chase ever in a Men's T20 International. The previous quickest chase was against Scotland in 2021, which India achieved in 6.3 overs.
- Lowest Total Against India: The UAE were bowled out for just 57 runs in 13.1 overs, their lowest T20I total against India and the second-lowest total overall in Asia Cup T20 history. The previous lowest against India was 66 by New Zealand in 2023.
- Dominant Bowling Performance: India’s bowlers took all 10 wickets while conceding only 31 runs after UAE's initial start of 26/0.
