Team India kicked off their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a thumping nine-wicket victory over UAE at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday (September 10).
Opting to bowl first, India bowled out UAE for only 57 in 13.1 overs. Kuldeep Yadav stole the show with a four-wicket haul (4/7), while the likes of Shivam Dube (3/4), Varun Chakaravarthy (1/4), Axar Patel (1/13) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/19) also played their part to perfection.
In reply, the defending champions gunned down a rather small target inside the powerplay (4.3 overs). Opener Abhishek Sharma played a quick-fire knock of 30 runs in 16 balls, while vice-captain Shubman Gill finished the job with 20* off 9 balls.
However, one moment during the game stirred a debate. In the 13th over of the UAE’s innings, Junaid Siddique was stumped by Sanju Samson after carelessly walking out of his crease while distracted by bowler Shivam Dube’s face towel, which fell off during the run-up. India appealed and the umpire gave the decision in favour, only for captain Suryakumar Yadav to withdraw it later on.
Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra slammed this act, even calling it hypocritical.
“It’s event specific in my opinion. It wouldn’t have happened if Salman Agha [Pakistan captain] was playing on 14 and the game is hanging in the balance and he is just roaming around. You won’t do that. That was a good throw and presence of mind from Sanju. He was out and should have been out in my opinion,” Chopra said on ESPN.
“The problem is that the moment you bring ethics and generosity, then it opens a can of worms. ‘Oh you did this today, why are you not doing the same thing tomorrow.’ Why go down that route? It’s like walking. You nick it and you walk because you know walk. The day you do not walk, is the day that decides which side of the divide you are on. And you look like a hypocrite. If it is within the rules, the umpire has given out, just stay out," he added.
India’s next group-stage match is scheduled against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on September 14.
