India started its Asia Cup campaign in the UAE city of Dubai with a resounding win over the favorite, Pakistan. They defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by nine wickets. It was the first match of the tournament. It finished in an extraordinarily brief 106 deliveries, easily one of the dozen or so shortest Twenty20 matches in history.
The UAE had a difficult task ahead of them against the world’s most formidable bowling attack from India. Batting second, they collapsed to 57 all out in 13.1 overs. Kuldeep Yadav, though, was the star among the bowlers. He took four wickets for only seven runs in 2.1 overs, remarkably taking three of those wickets in his second over. Yadav’s extraordinary efficiency was a huge consideration in slicing up the UAE batting order.
Yadav’s heroics − and a strong bowling performance overall, led by Shivam Dube’s three/4 (which included 3/1 through 20 balls in the Powerplay). Only Aayan Sharafu fought back for the UAE with a score of 22. Beyond the turning point, the entire supporting cast failed and unraveled in a tight environment.
It was a target that India chased down with remarkable ease. They rattled off 60 runs for one wicket in a mere 4.3 overs! Sharma was the leading run scorer for India, and with a flourish. He ended the final scoring 30 runs off 16 balls, including two sixes and a four. His attacking strokeplay paved the way for a brisk run-chase. Shubman Gill supported him well, finishing unbeaten on 20 runs from just nine balls, while Suryakumar Yadav contributed with a quick seven not out from two balls.
With this win, India further cemented its dominance in the format. Their bowling stars were on display too, as they dismissed the UAE for one of the all-time lowest T20 totals.
Leave a Reply