Abhishek Sharma sets the stage blazing vs UAE in Asia Cup 2025
India started off their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a big win in their opening game against hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) y 9 wickets and a massive 93 balls to spare. In fact, they chased their target down in just 4.3 overs, after bowling UAE out for 57, which is the lowest total in history against India in the shortest format of the game.
Abhishek Sharma layed a short but blazing knock in the second innings, as India reached the arget in no time. During this innings, the left-handed opening batter Abhishek Sharma managed to achieve a feat that no Indian including the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli did not achieve.
Abhishek Sharma hit the first ball of the second innings for a six to start off the innings with a bang. Abhishek Sharma thus became the first Indian to hit a six off the first ball of the second innings in a T20I match. Overall, Abhishek Sharma became the fourth Indian to hit the first ball of a T20I innings for a six, after Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson.
Here are the Indians to hit the first ball of a T20I innings for a six:
- Rohit Sharma off Adil Rashid (ENG), Ahmedabad 2021
- Yashasvi Jaiswal off Sikandar Raza (ZIM), Harare 2024
- Sanju Samson off Jofra Archer (ENG), Wankhede 2025
- Abhishek Sharma off Haider Ali (UAE). Dubai 2025
Abhishek Sharma slammed 30 from 16 balls in an innings studded by two fours and three sixes. He was ultimately dismissed by Junaid Siddique.India won the toss and opted to bowl first against UAE. The hosts got off to a decent start putting up 26 for the first wicket. However, the Indian bowlers unleashed hell on to them after that.
The team was dismissed for just 57 runs, with Kuldeep Yadav being the wrecker-in-chief with figures of 4/7. Shivam Dube also chipped in with three wickets. India pulled off this run-chase with ease courtesy openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. They thus won with 93 balls to spare, the second-biggest win in the history of T20I cricket.
Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja lauded young opener Abhishek Sharma after his explosive knock in India’s Asia Cup 2025 Group A match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10.
Ajay Jadeja is in all praise for Abhishek Sharma for his blistering 30 off 16 balls vs UAE
India bundled the UAE out for just 57 runs, showing their intent from ball one. In response, Abhishek set the tone for the chase in a dynamic cameo, scoring 30 off just 16 balls, back-filling two fours and three sixes, which made sure the defending champions finished the game in just 4.3 overs, winning by nine wickets, with 15.3 overs to spare.
Speaking on Sony Sports, Jadeja spoke about Abhishek’s distinct and fearless style at the crease. The former India captain Ajay Jadeja said that the young player almost slaps the ball, and he does not give opposition bowlers any respect at all.
“He hits like he is slapping someone. People might be thinking the Indian batting is about to start now, but they had already finished the game in 4.3 overs. And this was the first ball. There is no dignity,” Ajay Jadeja said.
Ajay Jadeja added that Abhishek Sharma differentiates himself from most batters because he prefers off-side to on-side.
 “He has his own style. The world hits almost always on the on-side for boundaries and sixes. It is not like he doesn’t play there, but he tends to favour offside. Most coaches teach bowlers that they should bowl on or outside the off-stump, but he plays the fastest on-axis there,” he said.
Abhishek Sharma’s intention to dominate was apparent when he hit Haider Ali’s first ball for six over long-off for India to start their run chase. Other than Abhishek Sharma’s fireworks, Shubman Gill contributed 20 off 9 balls. The youngsters put on a 48-run opening partnership in just 3.5 overs before Abhishek Sharma was dismissed. Suryakumar Yadav (7* off 2) joined Gill to finish their run chase.
