UAE aims to pull off a big surprise against T20 world champions India

UAE aims to pull off a big surprise against T20 world champions India

Asia Cup 2025: T20 World Champion INDIA will begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against UAE in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10.

After such a long break, India has finally got into the International format. They start playing international cricket again with a tournament that, to some, seems like it only exists so other Asian cricket boards can take advantage of India’s financial strength and, in return, support the BCCI in decision-making. We shouldn't overlook the chance it gives smaller teams to compete against bigger opponents.

India’s first opponents in the tournament, UAE, have already had a busy run of games. They played a full T20I tri-series while India were still waiting to return to international cricket. Despite not winning a single match, UAE came close to upsetting Afghanistan, showing they’ve been tested in tough conditions just what they needed before facing the world’s top team. Earlier this year, they had momentum from a series win over Bangladesh, but that was quickly halted by two losses to Uganda in the Pearl of Africa series.

Now, they face the reigning T20 world champions India. This is a team that didn’t just win the last T20 World Cup, they won every match in it. And since then, they’ve only grown stronger. While India might lack a bowler who can consistently hit sixes, their batting is explosive and their bowling offers rare variety. It’s a combination that makes them one of the most dominant T20 sides ever built.

UAE’s coach Lalchand Rajput knows India better than most. He was the man behind India’s first T20 World Cup campaign, back when the format wasn’t taken seriously by many of the game’s stars. Now, he’s guiding a UAE team led by captain Muhammad Waseem, hoping to pull off what would be the biggest upset of the year. If they manage to beat India, it’ll be a moment that shakes up the tournament.

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill is back in the T20I squad and not just as a player, but as vice-captain. That likely means he’ll reclaim his spot at the top of the order. Some might say he never really lost it; he simply stepped aside to focus on longer formats. Now, with India sharpening their squad ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup defence, Gill returns in red-hot form: 650 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of 155.87, all while batting with control.

There’s a full-circle moment here too. Simranjeet Singh, a left-arm spinner from Ludhiana, bowled to Gill when he was just 12. Simranjeet, now 35, spent years on the fringes of Punjab’s domestic setup and Kings XI Punjab. During the Covid-19 lockdown, he got stuck in Dubai and began coaching young players. Now, he’s set to bowl against Gill in an international match two careers crossing paths again.

India’s selection puzzle revolves around Sanju Samson and the No. 8 spot. If Gill opens with Abhishek Sharma, where does Samson fit? No. 3? Middle order? Or does he miss out? Ideally, India won’t shuffle their core batting positions, which could make room for Jitesh Sharma to return. But Samson has strong public support, and surprises aren’t uncommon in Indian cricket.

Then there’s the balance of the bowling attack. Should India go with four specialist bowlers and two all-rounders, leaving No. 8 as a pure bowler? That setup allows both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy to play, with Harshit Rana possibly filling the No. 8 slot. Or do they opt for three bowlers and three all-rounders for deeper batting? That would mean dropping one of the spinners unless the pitch offers turn, which doesn’t seem likely.

India (possible): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy

UAE (possible): Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (wk), Asif Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Zohaib, Muhammad Jawadullah/Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid