Kuldeep Yadav Shines as India Crush UAE by Record Margin in Asia Cup Opener

India began their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a commanding nine-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates, setting the tone for the tournament with a dominant all-round performance. The match, played on Thursday, saw India chase down a modest target of 58 runs with an astonishing 93 balls to spare, marking their largest win in terms of balls remaining in T20 Internationals.

The clinical performance not only lifted India’s confidence but also etched their name into the record books. This win is now the second-biggest by any Test-playing nation in terms of balls remaining, trailing only England’s historic chase completed with 101 deliveries left.

At the heart of India’s emphatic victory was spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who returned to the national side for the first time since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final earlier this year. Making a statement on his comeback, Kuldeep dismantled the UAE batting lineup with a spell of sheer brilliance.

After conceding just four runs in his opening over, Kuldeep unleashed his magic in the second. In a dramatic over, the chinaman took three wickets—on the first, fourth, and sixth deliveries—leaving the UAE innings in tatters. The final delivery, a perfectly disguised googly to a left-hander, stood out as the best of the lot.

Kuldeep’s final figures read 4 wickets for just 7 runs in 13 deliveries—an outstanding performance that left the UAE reeling. His spell ensured that the hosts were bundled out for a paltry 57 in just 13.1 overs.

Credit must also go to skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who rotated his bowlers efficiently. He utilized Jasprit Bumrah for three powerplay overs, applying pressure early. Though questions remained about who would bowl at the death, the game never reached that stage thanks to India’s ruthless bowling attack.

With the bat, India wasted no time. They lost just one wicket while cruising to the target in under seven overs. The ease of the chase underlined the gap between the two sides and gave India a vital net run rate boost in the group stage.

This performance sends a strong message to the rest of the competition. With momentum on their side, the Blues now look forward to their next fixture with growing confidence and an eye on the title.