In a heartwarming display of cricket spirit, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav showed true sportsmanship during the Asia Cup opener against UAE at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. He withdrew a successful stumping appeal against batter Junaid Siddique, but fate had other plans as Siddique got out the very next ball.
The drama unfolded in the 13th over when Shivam Dube bowled. As the ball left Dube’s hand, a blue towel from his pocket fell onto the pitch. Distracted by it, Siddique swung wildly and missed. Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson grabbed the chance, whipping the bails off while Siddique stood outside his crease, pointing at the towel. The third umpire ruled him stumped, sparking memories of Jonny Bairstow’s controversial run-out in the 2023 Ashes Test.
But Suryakumar stepped in, urging the umpires to reverse the decision in the name of fair play. The crowd loved it! Sadly for Siddique, his luck ran out immediately. He miscued the next delivery from Dube, and Suryakumar dashed in from mid-wicket to pouch a sharp catch. Siddique walked back for a golden duck, piling more woes on UAE.
This moment captured UAE’s nightmare batting collapse. India won the toss and bowled first, and UAE crumbled to 57 all out in just 13.1 overs after looking steady at 47/2. Opener Alishan Sharafu top-scored with 22, but that was all they could muster in this low-scoring Asia Cup thriller.
India’s bowlers dominated the show. Kuldeep Yadav starred with stunning figures of 4/7, including a dream over where he grabbed three wickets. Shivam Dube backed him up brilliantly, taking 3/4 by making the most of the pitch conditions. Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and a returning Jasprit Bumrah each claimed one scalp.
Bumrah set the tone early with a lethal yorker to dismiss Sharafu. Then the spinners struck hard—UAE captain Waseem fell lbw to Kuldeep after a gritty 19. From there, UAE’s innings imploded, losing their last eight wickets for just 10 runs in a stunning collapse.
Now, India need just 58 to win this Asia Cup match. With such a small target, they’ll aim for a swift chase to improve their net run rate—a key factor in the tournament’s tight race. Stay tuned for how the Men in Blue seal the deal!
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
