'He has been working hard on his bowling. This was a perfect game for him.'
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem said they won't treat the opening match against T20 World champions India as a big game and will look to play normally.
Seldom has an India vs Pakistan clash played with such a volatile backdrop, where cricket seems inseparably knotted with off-field tension, provocative gestures, and fines slapped on both camps.
To defend their Asia Cup title, India must improve catching and find a steady middle order. Friday's dead rubber is a good chance to try these out.
The superlative effort of 4-7 in 2.1 overs against the UAE saw Kuldeep Yadav bagging the man-of-the-match award and at the post-match presentation ceremony he got a chance to express his disappointment and question the logic behind his constant omission from the Playing XI.
Gill's highest score in the three Asia Cup matches has been an unbeaten 20 with the Test skipper failing to click in the games against Pakistan and Oman after a fruitful red-ball away series against England.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav made optimal use of available resources in both departments as India did enough to beat a spirited Oman by 21 runs to end their league stage commitments in Asia Cup with a hat-trick of victories.
Pakistan are currently in the second spot with two points, ahead of UAE (2 points) on net run rate.
The 'Impact Player' in IPL might have restricted Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube's role but 'India's Shivam Dube' aspires to be a full-fledged all-rounder backed by head coach Gautam Gambhir and helped by bowling coach Morne Morkel.
Kuldeep Yadav's artistry was too much for a clueless UAE to comprehend as India hardly broke a sweat in an emphatic nine-wicket victory in their Asia Cup opener in Dubai on Wednesday.
The likes of Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel would all like to get some decent hit out there in the middle ahead of Sunday's clash against Pakistan.
Kuldeep Yadav has a good record in T20 Internationals with 69 wickets in 40 matches at an economy rate of 6.77, with a best of 5/17 against South Africa.
Shivam Dube remains a vital cog in India's T20 set-up and bowling coach Morne Morkel wants the Mumbai all-rounder to step up as a back-up medium pacer ahead of the T20 World Cup, in line with head coach Gautam Gambhir's philosophy of packing the XI with multi-skilled cricketers.
Suryakumar Yadav has been named the captain for this T20I series, bringing his leadership and experience to the relatively young squad. Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma will serve as the wicketkeepers, while key players such as Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Washington Sundar are included to strengthen the batting and bowling departments.
'The Asia Cup is coming up, and for the white-ball players, they have got a good break after the IPL. I did play TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League), but still I have got a one-month break right now.'
Unless a player picks up an injury in training, India's team is expected to wear the same look against a Pakistan squad that are without top stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, lending it a look of youth and experience.
The inclusion of Gill in the squad has raised doubts in the minds of management about who will open the innings for their side, along with left-hand batter Abhishek, in the tournament.
Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah returned to India's T20 squad for next month's Asia Cup, but IPL star performers Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out.
'Though I would like to see him in the playing XI, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma will open the batting for the team.'
India's squad for the 2025 Asia Cup signals a bold new era, with seven fresh faces ready to debut on the continental stage.
Such has been the problem of plenty for selectors in the T20 format that they are finding it difficult to even accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal -- a proven performer in T20 cricket.
Despite doing well in the IPL and domestic cricket over the past two seasons, Varun did not get a recall to the Indian team and that only made him hungrier.
Bumrah, DreRus or Varun Chakravarthy: Who bowled the best spell?
'The fear of social stigma and career sabotage has kept a lid on the dark underbelly of many professions and unfortunately, the film industry has its skeletons too.' 'It's imperative we make our working environment safe and comfortable for women.'
The BCCI press conference scheduled at 1.30pm in Mumbai is 'expected to be delayed owing to weather disruptions'.
'After I am done with cricket, my first goal is to direct a movie.'
Shubman Gill enjoyed a phenomenal run with the bat in England, piling up 754 runs at an average of 75.40 with four centuries.
Shubman Gill is the flavour of the season after his stupendous show in the recent Test series against England but he will face a contender in Axar Patel for vice-captaincy
Despite outstanding performances in the IPL and on the international stage, several big names failed to make the cut.
How well will Shubman Gill fit in the T20 team? Is it a gamble by the selectors in order to unite captaincy across formats? asks Harish Kotian.
One cycle refers to three seasons between mega auctions, meaning Russell is aiming to stay with KKR well into his 40s if form and fitness permit.
Ahead of the match against LSG he was sat down by the KKR social media team who got him to answer some rapid fire questions.
Mohammed Shami, who has been out of action since IPL 2025 and is not part of India's ongoing Test tour of England, was named in Bengal's 50-member list of probables for the upcoming domestic season.
'Editor M S Shinde deserves full credit because, I'm told, Ramesh Sippy had shot 300,000 feet of footage, which was brought down to 18,000. 'He died in 2012, in a 126 square foot flat in Dharavi, penniless, a forgotten hero.'
India's mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has dropped one place to third spot in the ICC men's T20 bowling rankings, while Hardik Pandya continues to top the all-rounders' chart issued on Wednesday.
The unexpected 10-day break has left both the RCB and the KKR with different goals to achieve and common challenges to hurdle over.
Folks who had previously mocked Gambhir on social media suddenly acknowledged his foresight. Some even apologised for doubting him, flooding SM with praise and memes celebrating his 'KKR quota' selections.
Riyan Parag's 2023 tweet predicting he would hit '4 sixes in an over' resurfaced, sparking a viral frenzy online.
Kolkata Knight Riders will have little motivation left when they take on also ousted Sunrisers Hyderabad in an inconsequential IPL game in New Delhi on Sunday.
Varun Chakravarthy now holds the best figures by an Indian bowler on Champions Trophy debut. His five wicket haul in just his second ODI is the earliest by an Indian in 50 overs cricket.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances