India’s Asia Cup 2025 opener turned into a one-sided affair as Suryakumar Yadav’s side brushed aside the United Arab Emirates with a nine-wicket victory in Dubai. The match barely stretched into the evening, with UAE bowled out for just 57 before India chased down the target in 4.3 overs. Suryakumar chose to field first and his decision was justified as India’s bowlers made full use of a slow surface. The skipper was all praise for the group after the emphatic win. “It was a clinical performance from the boys,” SKY said after the match. “We wanted good energy and attitude in the field, and that carried into the batting as well. The pitch looked on the slower side, so I expected spinners to dominate, but it was great to see the support shown by Hardik, Bumrah and Dube.” He also reserved special words for Abhishek Sharma, who cracked a quickfire 30 at the top. “He is a phenomenal batter and that is the reason he is the world number one right now. He always puts the team first, irrespective of the score, and that is unbelievable from him.”
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The day, however, belonged to Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wrist-spinner ripped through the UAE lineup with figures of 4 for 7 in just 2.1 overs, his first spell in months after sitting out the England Tests. “It was tough not playing recently,” Kuldeep admitted. “I was working hard on my bowling and fitness, and tonight everything clicked. In this format, the length matters most. You have to read the batters and react quickly to what they are trying to do.”With Pakistan up next, SKY admitted the anticipation is building in the camp. “We all are excited, everyone wants to play a good game and we are really looking forward to it,” he said with a smile.