 "India vs UAE, Asia Cup Stats: Men in Blue bowl hosts out for record low total, snap unwanted streak lasting 15 games")
Team India made short work of the United Arab Emirates in their opening game of the Asia Cup on Wednesday. After winning a toss for the first time in 16 matches and opting to field, India faced little resistance from the UAE batters barring openers Alishan Sharafu (22) and captain Muhammad Waseem (19) as they bundled the hosts out for a meagre 57.
India’s new T20I combination of Abhishek Sharma (30) and vice-captain Shubman Gill (20 not out) later ensured the Men in Blue crossed the line inside the powerplay with an explosive 48-run opening stand. Gill, whose return to the T20I XI forced wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to move to the middle order, later hit the winning boundary in the company of skipper Suryakumar Yadav (7 not out), with India's chase lasting just 4.3 overs.
India thus begin the Asia Cup with a mind-boggling Net Run Rate of +10.483, sounding a warning to defending champions Sri Lanka, arch-rivals Pakistan as well as Afghanistan, Bangladesh and other teams that stopping them from marching to another Asian title – second in the T20 format and ninth overall – will be a massive challenge.
UAE bundled out for their lowest T20I total
There were quite a few statistical highlights from the low-scoring encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the second match of the continental event that returns to the 20-over format ahead of the T20 World Cup. More on that below:
– India won the toss for the first time in 16 matches across formats, with the Men in Blue having not won the toss since January until Wednesday.
– UAE’s total of 57 isn’t just their lowest in Twenty20 Internationals, it’s also the lowest by any team against India in the format.
– Kuldeep Yadav's figures of 4/7 is the second-best by a bowler in Asia Cup T20 matches, behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 5/4 against Afghanistan in Dubai three years ago.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts– India’s victory with 93 deliveries to spare is the second-highest by a Full Member nation in T20Is, behind the 101 deliveries that were left when England cruised to victory over Oman in Antigua in last year’s T20 World World Cup.
– Wednesday’s India-UAE encounter also lasted just 106 deliveries, which is the fourth fewest in a completed T20I involving a Full Member.
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