India stormed into the Asia Cup 2025 with a resounding nine-wicket win over UAE, crushing them in just 13.1 overs and chasing the 58-run target in a record 4.3 overs at the Dubai International Stadium.
The clinical performance — India’s biggest T20I win by balls remaining — has set the tone for the tournament and sent what many see as a “subtle warning” to arch-rivals Pakistan, whom India will face in a highly-anticipated clash on Sunday, September 14.
Dominant Bowling Display
UAE, led by Muhammad Waseem, were blown away as Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube ran riot, sharing seven wickets between them. UAE were bowled out for a paltry 57 runs, leaving India with the simplest of chases.
Record-Breaking Chase
India made light work of the target as Abhishek Sharma (30 off 16) provided an explosive start, followed by Shubman Gill (20)* and Suryakumar Yadav (7)* sealing the victory inside the powerplay.
Suryakumar’s Response on Pakistan Clash
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Suryakumar Yadav was asked whether the dominant performance was a message for Pakistan.
He smiled and said,
“We all are excited. Everyone wants to play a good game and is really looking forward to it.”
The much-awaited India vs Pakistan encounter will be played in Dubai and is already drawing significant attention amid calls from some quarters to cancel the match due to the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year.
Handshake Controversy
Suryakumar had recently faced criticism on social media after being photographed shaking hands with Pakistan captain Salman Agha and ACC President Mohsin Naqvi before the start of the tournament. The BCCI has clarified that the match is proceeding as per government policy, which allows India to play Pakistan in multilateral events like the Asia Cup and ICC tournaments.
