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Team India made a brilliant start to their Asia Cup campaign and recorded a comprehensive 9-wicket victory over UAE in their clash against UAE. After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the Men in Blue first bundled out the hosts for just 57 runs and then went on to achieve the modest target in just 4.3 overs with 93 deliveries left to spare.
Firstly, the Indian bowling attack gave a stunning performance and didn't allow the UAE batters to score runs easily and also kept on picking up wickets on regular intervals. Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube were the top performers for the side, recording figures of 4/7 and 3/4 respectively.
Abhishek and Gill decimated UAE's bowling attack
The Indian batters didn't pass up on the opportunity of finishing the match early as the opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill provided the strong start to the side with a partnership of 48 runs. While Abhishek got dismissed after scoring 30 runs from 16 deliveries, Gill remained unbeaten on 20 runs from just 9 deliveries as India wrapped things up rather comfortably.
Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja remarked that Abhishek and Gill were playing as if they were up against a 'school team' and added that the two can indeed finish off games for the side by forming strong opening stands.
"I was thinking about these two friends (Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma). While growing up, you are a hooligan in your city when you are playing for your club, you beat a school team like that, and they have done that at the international level, even if it's the UAE. They have been able to live that dream, that they would finish games like this when they would bat together for India,” Jadeja told Sony Sports Network.
Meanwhile, Jadeja also labelled Gill as 'the chosen one' and stated that he has been getting 'privilieges' from the BCCI because they see him as India's future captain in the shortest format. This comes after the 26-year-old was added to the Men in Blue's 15-member squad for Asia Cup despite having not played a T20I since July, 2024. He was also made the vice-captain of the team.
“Everyone has put their hopes on him (Gill). There is something special about him and there’s no doubt about it. And if he’s been brought in instead of someone like Jaiswal or Sanju Samson who has scored three centuries in a row in this format, then you can imagine how privileged he is and the Chosen One," Jadeja stated.
“Everyone hopes he is probably someone there for the long haul. He’s consistent, and it is not only in the game. You are seeing it in him as a human being too. He’s being looked as future captain of India and so he’s getting all these advantages. But there is no pressure of the advantages. I would say the pressure of a privilege would be there. He is not under pressure to keep his place," he added.
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