India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel heaped praise on his bowlers after their clinical display in India’s Asia Cup 2025 opener against the UAE in Dubai, highlighting how sharp preparation translated into on-field success. India dominantly began their campaign, securing a nine-wicket win while chasing a modest 58-run target. The bowlers laid the foundation for the emphatic victory, dismantling UAE’s batting lineup with precision and intent.
Speaking in a video shared by the BCCI, Morkel lauded the effort: “Yeah, a very solid start by the boys with the ball tonight. We haven’t played a lot of white-ball cricket recently, so our preparation was extremely focused. That’s something we executed exceptionally well.”
The star of the show was Kuldeep Yadav, who delivered a breathtaking spell of 4/7, ably supported by Shivam Dube with 3/7. Their combined effort bundled out the UAE for just 57 runs in 13.1 overs. Only Alishan Sharafu (22) and skipper Muhammed Waseem (19) managed to reach double figures.
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Morkel also revealed his pre-match conversation with the bowlers, emphasizing rhythm, energy, and body language as key areas. “Our discussion was about finding our feet, bringing energy, and making sure we carried strong body language when we had the ball. The boys nailed that in the first half,” he added.
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With the bat, Abhishek Sharma (30) and vice-captain Shubman Gill (20*), wasted no time, racing to the target in just 4.3 overs—27 balls in total.
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Kuldeep’s performance carried extra significance as he surpassed Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel on India’s all-time T20I wicket-takers list. With 73 scalps in just 41 matches at a staggering average of 13.39, Kuldeep now stands among India’s leading match-winners in the format.
Brief Scores: UAE 57 in 13.1 overs (Alishan Sharafu 22, Muhammad Waseem 19; Kuldeep Yadav 4-7, Shivam Dube 3-4) lost to India 60/1 in 4.3 overs (Abhishek Sharma 30, Shubman Gill 20*; Junaid Siddique 1-16) by 9 wickets.
