It was an ideal way to shake off the rust for a team that hadn’t played the format for more than seven months. India got a feel of the stifling heat without breaking into a sweat, endeared itself further to the partisan crowd at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and gave a shot to its full complement of bowlers despite dismissing the United Arab Emirates in just 13.1 overs.
The Punjab-born batting pair of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill just took just 4.3 overs to overhaul UAE’s total of 57, with the former wiping off 10 runs off the first two balls to usher in an early end.
The half-filled stadium’s heartiest acclaim, though, was reserved for Kerala batter Sanju Samson, whose announcement in the playing XI sent a wave of roar into the azure sky and around the Ring of Fire that lends a unique glow to the venue.
SCORECARD | IND VS UAE ASIA CUP
Perhaps the only blemish in an otherwise perfect scorecard was Hardik Pandya’s 10-run first over, which hinted that the UAE was going to give a fight. But Jasprit Bumrah ensured that it was a false dawn. He knocked UAE’s top-scorer Alishan Sharafu’s off-stump with a yorker that clocked 140 kmph. The pace ace, though, did show some signs of rust in the final over of the PowerPlay, where he dished out two full tosses and a short ball outside off-stump to offer UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem three boundaries.
However, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy justified India’s decision to opt for just one frontline pacer in Bumrah after a tinge of green on the surface presented a confounding dilemma regarding the bowling combination. They picked up five wickets for 11 runs in 4.1 overs between them, extracting grip and turn to allay any concerns about the pitch veering away from its spin-friendly credentials.
Shivam Dube also emerged as a credible wicket-taking option with his share of three scalps, though the quality of batting wasn’t world-class. While his fans couldn’t get a glimpse of him with the bat, Sanju Samson’s agility and quick wit were on display. He first dived to his right to snaffle a nifty catch to send the hard-hitting Asif Khan back, and then found Junaid Siddique stranded outside his crease.
AS IT HAPPENED | IND vs UAE HIGHLIGHTS ASIA CUP
Siddique had wandered outside his crease to complain to the umpire about the bowler’s (Dube) towel falling off in his run-up, which may have led to the batter missing the hoick on the leg side. Samson, meanwhile, tactfully knocked the stumps. The third umpire deemed it to be out, but Suryakumar Yadav was forgiving of Siddique’s recklessness and called him back.
It was only a formality as, a couple of balls later, Siddique offered Suryakumar a high catch at mid-on. The ball seemed to plop into the Indian skipper’s extended hands of its own volition, even as Suryakumar accusingly pointed at the sometimes disturbing lighting system that has troubled fielders in the past.
India may have to brace for sterner challenges in the coming weeks, not least when it takes on Pakistan on Sunday here, but a clinical start and a half-day at work are always welcome.
Published on Sep 10, 2025
