Credit: BCCI
The Indian cricket team started their Asia Cup 2025 campaign in Group A with a bang, getting the better of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a one-sided contest by nine wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It was a complete performance from the reigning world champions, with their bowlers bundling out the UAE for just 57 runs in 13.1 overs before it took them just 4.3 overs to chase down the runs.
Abhishek Sharma, the left-handed batter, who opens the innings for India in T20Is, made a mockery of the 58-run target with 30 runs in just 16 balls, including two fours and three sixes. Although Junaid Siddique managed to get the wicket of the 25-year-old, by that time, he had already edged his name in the history books, becoming the fourth Indian batter to hit a six on the first ball of a T20I innings alongside former captain Rohit Sharma.
Abhishek Sharma opened the innings for India alongside Shubman Gill
He found his name in the illustrious list after smashing the UAE’s left-arm spinner Haider Ali for a six on the first ball of Indian innings over the long-on area. Apart from Abhishek Sharma and Rohit Sharma, the two other batters who have smashed a first ball six for India in T20I cricket are none other than Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson, with all these four having also scored a hundred at the top of the order in the shortest format of the game.
In their next match in the Asia Cup 2025 in Group A, the Indian cricket team will take on arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 14. A win for India will seal their spot in the next round of the tournament in all likelihood, allowing them to play at least three more matches while giving themselves the opportunity to potentially reach the final later this month.
The third and final Group A match for India in the Asia Cup 2025 will be against Oman on Friday, September 19.
