Kuldeep Yadav took 4-7 to lead holders India to a crushing nine-wicket win over hosts UAE in their opening match of the Asia Cup on Wednesday.
Kuldeep struck three times in one over with his left-arm wrist spin as tournament favourites India skittled UAE for a paltry 57 in 13.1 overs after they elected to field first in the T20I in Dubai.
India romped home to victory in 4.3 overs after left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma hit 30 off 16 balls and vice-captain Shubman Gill stood unbeaten on 20.
But it was the bowlers who set up victory for the reigning T20 World Cup champions as medium-pacer Shivam Dube claimed three wickets before Kuldeep wrapped up the innings.
“Clinical performance from the boys,” captain Suryakumar Yadav said. “Wanted good energy and attitude in the field and that carried over into the batting.”
Put in to bat, UAE opener Alishan Sharafu started briskly with boundaries before falling to pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah for 22 off 17 balls.
Skipper Muhammad Waseem struck 19 to be the only other batsman to make double figures in an otherwise shambolic show by the rest of the team.
Kuldeep’s three wickets, including Waseem, in his second over rattled the opposition batting, which soon fell apart.
Man of the Match Kuldeep varied his length and pace to good effect in his first T20I outing for India since the World Cup triumph in Barbados last year and said everything went “perfect” on his return.
With a target of 58, world No 1 T20I batsman Sharma came out attacking as he smashed left-arm spinner Haider Ali for a six and a four.
He hit two more sixes in his blitz before being caught off pace bowler Junaid Siddique.
Gill finished off the chase with a boundary as Suryakumar, unbeaten on seven, looked on from the other end.
“We can say that they are a brilliant team and are bowling really well,” said Waseem. “They executed their plan for every batter. That is why they are the No 1 team. As a team, we have to come back stronger and we have to learn from these mistakes.”
India won the previous Asia Cup, which was played in a 50-over format in 2023, when they beat hosts Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo.
India will next face Pakistan on Sunday in the most highly-anticipated match of the T20 tournament, which serves as a build-up competition for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Francois Nel/Getty Images
