NEW DELHI: Kuldeep Yadav's brilliance dismantled a helpless UAE as India strolled to a commanding nine-wicket win in their Asia Cup 2025 opener on Wednesday.

The wrist-spinner showed no signs of rust, running through the hosts to bowl them out for just 57 in 13.1 overs. India's chase was a mere formality, completed in only 4.3 overs.

Abhishek Sharma smashed 30 off 16 balls, while vice-captain Shubman Gill, returning to T20Is, looked ominous with an unbeaten 20 off 9. In a twist of fate, Gill sealed the victory by dispatching childhood acquaintance Simranjeet Singh - once his sparring partner in junior cricket - for the winning runs.

For India, the batting effort resembled little more than a highlights reel, with UAE's bowlers struggling to find any answers.

"Clinical performance from the boys, we wanted good attitude and energy on the field and that's what we got. Recently lot of the boys were here for the Champions Trophy, the wicket looked good but it was on the slower side and the spinners have a role here," said India captain Suryakumar Yadav at the post match presentation.

The outcome seemed inevitable the moment captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to field. With the Dubai surface aiding turn, India's spinners executed the plans drawn up by Gautam Gambhir and Surya to perfection.

Kuldeep, who had a frustrating time in the UK after warming the bench for five straight Tests, was too good for the UAE batters, ending with figures of 4 for 7 in 2.1 overs. UAE lost as many eight wickets for 10 runs after being 47 for two in the ninth over.

Jasprit Bumrah (1/19 in 3 overs) started the slide with a perfect yorker to remove Kerala born Alishan Sharafu (22 off 17 balls), who had till then survived audaciously with three boundaries and a six.

Once Bumrah landed a perfect one at the base of Sharafu's boots, UAE's promising start turned into a sorry tale with batters making a beeline back to the dug-out.

The troika of spinners -- Kuldeep, Varun Chakravarthy (1/4 in 2 overs) and Axar Patel (1/13 in 3 overs) are bowlers whom the players from associate nations don't play regularly and UAE had no clue how to counter them.

Shivam Dube (3/4 in 2 overs), whose bowling is going to be important heading into T20 World Cup, helped himself with career-best figures, polishing off the tail in style.

Dube hit the right length during his two over spell, bowling at a speed of late 120 kmph and keeping a fullish length while slipping in the odd back of length heavy delivery.

Rahul Chopra wanted to hit out of trouble against Kuldeep and was holed out at long-on while left-handed Harshit Kaushik had no clue how to tackle a chinaman's googly -- one that comes into the southpaw.

Skipper Muhammad Waseem (19 off 22 balls) found it difficult to get going and when he tried to sweep Kuldeep, the ball bounced a tad extra.

In all, the Indian bowlers delivered 81 balls -- 13.1 overs plus two wides and UAE batters couldn't score off 52 deliveries.

(With PTI Inputs)