NEW DELHI: Abhishek Sharma stole the spotlight as India began their 2025 Men’s Asia Cup campaign with a stunning nine-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The left-handed opener, alongside Shubman Gill, made light work of a modest target in just 27 balls, orchestrating India’s fastest chase in men’s T20I history.The match swung India’s way early, thanks to brilliant bowling from Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube. Kuldeep’s four-wicket haul (4-7) and Dube’s three wickets (3-4) bundled out UAE for a mere 57 in 13.1 overs — a total the UAE would rue for months. This low score set the stage for Abhishek to unleash his power-hitting skills.From the first ball, Abhishek was aggressive. He lofted Haider Ali over long-off for a six, immediately asserting dominance, before slicing the spinner for a boundary. Gill, making a return to the T20I squad after more than a year, contributed with 20 not out, including a flick over square leg for a six. But it was Abhishek who kept the scoreboard ticking with dazzling strokes, including a back-foot six over long-off against Dhruv Parashar and a crisp four over extra cover. Even after a miscued pull to mid-on ended his innings, he had already set the tone for a statement chase.Abhishek now joins the elite list of Indian batters to hit a six off the first ball of a T20I innings, alongside Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sanju Samson.Indian batters to hit first ball of the innings in T20I for a six:
| Batter Name |
|---|
| Rohit Sharma |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal |
| Sanju Samson |
| Abhishek Sharma |
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav added a swish over fine leg for six, and Gill finished with a boundary past mid-on to seal the emphatic victory. India chased the target in just 4.3 overs, eclipsing their previous record of 6.3 overs against Scotland in the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup, also in Dubai.For UAE, it was an evening to forget. Their batters struggled against India’s relentless bowling, and their bowlers couldn’t contain Abhishek, Gill, and Suryakumar. Abhishek’s explosive start and commanding presence at the crease not only set the tone for India’s campaign but also sent a clear message to their Asia Cup rivals: India’s top order is in imperious form.India now head into their next group matches against Pakistan and debutants Oman, having made a resounding statement in Dubai.