Kuldeep takes four wickets as India crushes the UAE in just 17.4 overs

Kuldeep takes four wickets as India crushes the UAE in just 17.4 overs

Asia Cup 2025: India vs UAE: Record-Breaking Win for Team India. India beat UAE by nine wickets in their Asia Cup 2025 opener, a record fastest T20I chase in 4.3 overs.

India kicked off their Asia Cup in a stunning way, wrapping up their match against the UAE in just 106 balls. It took only 79 balls to bowl the UAE out for a mere 57 runs the lowest total ever recorded against India in T20 internationals. India then chased down the target in just 27 balls, marking their fastest-ever T20I chase.

UAE came into the match with confidence after decent performances against Pakistan and Afghanistan in a recent tri-series. But India’s bowlers were ruthless. Kuldeep Yadav, returning to action after spending the England tour on the bench, made an immediate impact by taking four wickets. His spell broke the back of the UAE’s batting, and from there, India’s victory was just a matter of time.

India started with the openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, who made sure the chase was quick and entertaining. They smashed 48 runs in just 3.4 overs, playing some outrageous shots. Abhishek fell just before the finish, but Gill and Suryakumar Yadav wrapped things up in style, with Suryakumar hitting a six off his very first ball.

There was plenty of buzz around India’s team selection. Gill replaced Sanju Samson as opener, but Samson kept the wicketkeeping gloves ahead of Jitesh Sharma. India opted for both wrist spinners Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy and chose Shivam Dube as a batting allrounder to strengthen the lineup till No. 8. This meant Jasprit Bumrah was the only specialist fast bowler in the XI. Interestingly, India also broke a streak of 15 consecutive toss losses.

Bumrah bowled three overs in the powerplay something he hadn’t done in T20Is since 2019. He picked up one wicket with a fiery yorker but also conceded a few boundaries, especially to UAE captain Muhammad Waseem. UAE started well, scoring 41 for 2 in the powerplay, but collapsed dramatically, losing their last eight wickets for just ten more runs.

Kuldeep’s ninth over was the turning point, where he picked up three wickets including a classic wrong’un to bowl Harshit Kaushik. Dube also impressed with three wickets, continuing his strong form despite earlier doubts about his bowling. Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy chipped in with one wicket each, making it a complete team effort.

One unusual moment came when Samson ran out Junaid Siddique with a direct hit. Although India withdrew the appeal, Siddique got out the very next ball anyway caught by Suryakumar off Dube. It summed up the kind of day the UAE had: nothing went their way.

India’s chase was a blur of boundaries and bold strokes. Gill’s flick for six and Abhishek’s slap over long-off were standout shots. After Abhishek’s dismissal, Suryakumar and Gill took just four balls to finish the job, sealing a win that was as emphatic as it was efficient.