Dubai [UAE], September 10: In a remarkable display of skill, India's left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav surpassed the T20I wicket tally of renowned spinner Ravichandran Ashwin during a thrilling match against the UAE in the Asia Cup.
India's dominance in T20Is remained unchallenged as they secured their largest victory in this format. The UAE struggled to make an impact throughout the match, which concluded in under two hours at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Kuldeep dismantled the UAE batting lineup, achieving impressive figures of 4 wickets for just 7 runs in 2.1 overs. With this performance, he surpassed both Axar Patel and Ashwin, now holding 73 wickets in 41 matches at an average of 13.39. His exceptional skills were on full display in the ninth over, marking a historic moment.
He claimed three wickets in a single over, dismissing Rahul Chopra (3), trapping skipper Waseem in front of the stumps for 19 runs, and bowling out Harshit Kaushik for just 2 runs. Kuldeep's efforts led to the UAE's total collapsing to 57 runs in 13.1 overs, marking the second-lowest score in Asia Cup history, following Hong Kong's 38 against Pakistan in 2022.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah, India's pace spearhead, showcased his talent intermittently. He bowled a stunning yorker that sent Alishan Sharafu's off-stump flying, achieving a milestone of 90 T20I wickets in 16 fewer matches than Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
In response to the UAE's meager score, Abhishek Sharma started aggressively, hitting a six and a four off the first two balls, scoring 30 runs off just 15 balls before being caught by Haider Ali. Captain Suryakumar Yadav then led the team to a swift 9-wicket victory in just 4.3 overs.
With over half the innings remaining, India celebrated its most significant T20I victory in terms of balls left, chasing down the target with 93 balls to spare, surpassing their previous record of 81 against Scotland at the same venue in 2021.
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