In a spectacular display of cricketing prowess, India kicked off their Asia Cup title defense by obliterating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a mere 57 runs, clinching a commanding nine-wicket victory in Dubai.

Batting first, the UAE began with a brief glimmer of hope, reaching 47 for 2 wickets before crumbling dramatically. Over the course of just five overs, the last eight batsmen fell for a pitiful 10 runs, showcasing a batting collapse that left fans stunned.

The star of the match was India’s wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who delivered a breathtaking performance, taking 4 wickets for just 7 runs in only 2.1 overs, including a sensational three-wicket haul in his second over.

Despite the horror show from their batting lineup, UAE's openers managed to put up some resistance. Alishan Sharafu scored 22 runs before being bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, while captain Muhammad Waseem managed 19 before falling to a brilliant lbw from Kuldeep. However, they stood alone as the only two players to reach double figures.

The total posted by UAE is now the lowest ever against India in T20 history, a record that underscores India's bowling dominance.

As India embarked on their chase, opener Abhishek Sharma wasted no time, launching the first ball of the inning for a six and following it swiftly with a four. In just 4.3 overs, India wrapped up their victory with a flurry of runs.

Abhishek ended his explosive innings with a blistering 30 runs off just 16 balls, hitting two more sixes before he was caught off seamer Junaid Siddique with just 10 runs left to claim victory.

Shubman Gill made his much-anticipated return, finishing the match unbeaten on 20 from 9 balls, while captain Suryakumar Yadav added 7 runs off just two balls.

Looking ahead, India is set for an exhilarating clash against their arch-rivals Pakistan this Sunday, with their four-team group also featuring Oman. On the other side, Group B includes Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super Four stage.