India routs UAE for 57 to notch 9-wicket win in Asia Cup

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and seamer Shivam Dube helped limit the United Arab Emirates to 57 runs as India swept to a nine-wicket win in the Asia Cup on Wednesday.

Kuldeep baffled batters with his sharp googlies and bagged 4-7 while Dube claimed 3-4 to dismiss UAE in 13.1 overs — the lowest-ever T20 total against India.

In the Group A game, India cruised to 60-1 in just 4.3 overs with opening batter Abhishek Sharma (30) showing flashes of his skillful power-hitting and Shubman Gill scoring an unbeaten 20.

UAE batters had no answer for India’s relentless bowling attack despite Jasprit Bumrah showing signs of rustiness in his first T20 game since the World Cup last year.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav believed his team was “flexible” when India won the toss and the skipper chose to field. India had lost the toss in 15 consecutive games.

Alishan Sharafu (22) and captain Muhammad Waseem (19) gave UAE a reasonable start of 41-2 in the powerplay before the batters crumbled against Kuldeep’s sharp spin and Dube warmed up for more tougher games ahead in the tournament with a three-wicket haul.

Bumrah nailed Sharafu will his trademark smearing yorker in the second over and Mohammad Zohaib sliced a catch to backward point when he tried to play Varun Chakravarthy inside out.

Kuldeep’s three-wicket over, that included a plumb leg before wicket dismissal of Waseem, rattled UAE middle-order before Dube claimed three wickets in his two overs and UAE folded with more than six overs to spare.

India called back No. 10 batter Junaid Siddique after wicketkeeper Sanju Samson had him stumped when the batter strolled out of his crease after he missed a pull shot of Dube.

India accepted Siddique’s clarification that he came out of his crease to explain that he got distracted with a rag falling from the pocket of Dube.

However, Siddique couldn’t open his account as he fell of the next legitimate ball of Dube when Suryakumar held onto a high catch at mid-on.

Kuldeep finished off the innings when he had Haider Ali caught behind.

Left-handed Abhishek showed how quickly he could unsettle the bowlers in the powerplay when he smashed spinner Ali’s first ball for a six over wide extra cover with his trademark inside out shot. He smashed three sixes and two boundaries in his 16-ball knock.

India needed only 10 runs when Abhishek miscued Siddique’s short ball and got caught at wide mid-wicket but Suryakumar smashed Siddique over fine-leg for a six off the first ball he faced.

Gill then completed the victory with a boundary to mid-on of Simranjeet Singh as UAE slumped to heavy defeat in the group that also include Pakistan and first-timer Oman.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket