Table of Contents
The senior men’s cricket teams of United Arab Emirates and the India share a brief yet distinct history in international cricket. Spanning iconic tournaments such as the ICC Cricket World Cup, the Austral-Asia Cup, and the Men’s T20 Asia Cup, their encounters showcase a classic narrative of a global powerhouse meeting an emerging Associate nation. India maintains an unblemished, perfect winning record across all official One-Day International and Twenty20 International formats. While the statistical charts heavily favor India, these matches remain critical opportunities for the UAE team to test their development against elite, world-class talent on the global stage.
Recent Senior Match Scorecards
| Match Date & Tournament | Team Innings | Score & Overs | Top Performers | Match Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | UAE India | 57/10 (13.1 ov) 60/1 (4.3 ov) | A. Sharafu: 22 (17) | K. Yadav: 4/7 A. Sharma: 30 (16) | J. Siddique: 1/16 | India won by 9 wickets |
| Mar 3, 2016 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | UAE India | 81/9 (20.0 ov) 82/1 (10.1 ov) | S. Anwar: 43 (48) | B. Kumar: 2/8 R. Sharma: 39 (28) | Q. Anwar: 1/15 | India won by 9 wickets |
| Feb 28, 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup | UAE India | 102/10 (31.3 ov) 104/1 (18.5 ov) | S. Anwar: 35 (49) | R. Ashwin: 4/25 R. Sharma: 57 (55) | M. Naveed: 1/35 | India won by 9 wickets |
Head-to-Head Summary Numbers
| Format | Matches Played | India Won | India Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ODI (One-Day Internationals) | 3 | 3 | 100 percent |
| T20I (Twenty20 Internationals) | 2 | 2 | 100 percent |
| Overall Head-to-Head | 5 | 5 | 100 percent |
Best Player Performance Analysis
| Player Name | Team | Core Role | Key Performance Stats vs Opponent | Impact and Match Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuldeep Yadav | India | Bowler | 4 wickets for 7 runs | Won Player of the Match at the 2025 Asia Cup after triggering a massive UAE collapse |
| Rahul Dravid | India | Batsman | 104 Runs | Holds the record for the highest individual score in a single match between these nations |
| Rohit Sharma | India | Batsman | 96 Total Runs | Most consistent batsman against UAE; smashed a match-winning 57 at the 2015 ODI World Cup |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | India | Bowler | 4 wickets for 25 runs | Demolished the UAE middle-order at Perth during the 2015 ICC World Cup |
| Shaiman Anwar | UAE | Batsman | 78 Total Runs | Top run-scorer for the UAE against India, top-scoring in both the 2015 ODI and 2016 T20I matches |
| Shivam Dube | India | All-Rounder | 3 wickets for 4 runs | Recorded his career-best T20I bowling figures during the 2025 clash |
| Mohammad Tauqir | UAE | All-Rounder | 56 Runs and 1 Wicket | Put up the most resilient all-round fightback for UAE during their 2004 encounter |
Match Overview and Key Details
| Match Date | Cricket Format | Tournament or Series | Match Venue | Key Match Summary | Winner and Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2025 | T20I | Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Dubai International Stadium | UAE bowled out for 57; Kuldeep Yadav took 4 for 7; India chased in 4.3 overs | India won by 9 wickets |
| Mar 3, 2016 | T20I | Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Mirpur | UAE restricted to 81 for 9; Rohit Sharma smashed 39; India chased in 10.1 overs | India won by 9 wickets |
| Feb 28, 2015 | ODI | ICC Cricket World Cup | WACA Ground, Perth | R. Ashwin took 4 for 25 to fold UAE for 102; Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 57 | India won by 9 wickets |
| Jul 16, 2004 | ODI | Men’s Asia Cup | Rangiri Dambulla Stadium | Rahul Dravid scored 104 to take India to 260; UAE bowled out for 144 | India won by 116 runs |
| Apr 13, 1994 | ODI | Austral-Asia Cup | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | India posted 273 for 5; UAE managed 202 for 9 in response | India won by 71 runs |
UAE Batting Performance
| Match Details | UAE Team Total | Top UAE Batter | Individual Score | Top Indian Bowler Faced | Batting Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | 57/10 (13.1 overs) | Alishan Sharafu | 22 (17 balls) | Kuldeep Yadav (4/7) | Severe batting collapse; only two players reached double figures against elite spin |
| Mar 3, 2016 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | 81/9 (20.0 overs) | Shaiman Anwar | 43 (48 balls) | Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/8) | Defensive batting style; played out the full 20 overs but struggled to clear boundary ropes |
| Feb 28, 2015 ICC World Cup | 102/10 (31.3 overs) | Shaiman Anwar | 35 (49 balls) | R. Ashwin (4/25) | Struggled extensively against extra bounce on a fast Australian pitch at Perth |
| Jul 16, 2004 Men’s Asia Cup | 144/10 (38.1 overs) | Mohammad Tauqir | 55 (73 balls) | Irfan Pathan (3/34) | Solitary middle-order half-century under immense scoreboard pressure chasing 261 |
India Batting Performance
| Match Date and Tournament | Team Batting Total | Top Indian Batter | Individual Score | Top UAE Bowler Faced | Batting Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | 60/1 (4.3 overs) | Abhishek Sharma | 30 (16 balls) | Junaid Siddique (1/16) | Aggressive, ultra-fast chase to hunt down 58 runs under 5 overs |
| Mar 3, 2016 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | 82/1 (10.1 overs) | Rohit Sharma | 39 (28 balls) | Qadeer Ahmed (1/15) | Controlled and stable chase of 82 runs without taking unnecessary risks |
| Feb 28, 2015 ICC World Cup | 104/1 (18.5 overs) | Rohit Sharma | 57 not out (55 balls) | Mohammad Naveed (1/35) | Clinical World Cup chase punctuated by elegant ground strokes |
| Jul 16, 2004 Men’s Asia Cup | 260/6 (50.0 overs) | Rahul Dravid | 104 (139 balls) | Asghar Ali (2/56) | Methodical century to anchor the first innings and rebuild early wickets |
| Apr 13, 1994 Austral-Asia Cup | 273/5 (50.0 overs) | Vinod Kambli | 82 not out (67 balls) | Sultan Zarawani (1/41) | Fast-paced finish to build India’s highest senior score against the UAE |
Bowling Performances
| Match Date and Tournament | Bowler Name | Team | Bowling Figures (Wickets/Runs) | Overs Bowled | Match Impact Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Kuldeep Yadav | India | 4 / 7 | 3.1 | Triggered a massive middle-order collapse; named Player of the Match |
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Shivam Dube | India | 3 / 4 | 2.0 | Cleaned up the lower order to record his career-best T20I bowling figures |
| Mar 3, 2016 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | India | 2 / 8 | 4.0 | Bowled two maiden overs to completely lock down the UAE powerplay |
| Feb 28, 2015 ICC World Cup | R. Ashwin | India | 4 / 25 | 10.0 | Exploited extra bounce on a fast Perth track to dismantle the UAE batting lineup |
| Jul 16, 2004 Men’s Asia Cup | Irfan Pathan | India | 3 / 34 | 10.0 | Provided crucial early breakthroughs with lethal swing bowling |
| Apr 13, 1994 Austral-Asia Cup | Bhupinder Singh | India | 3 / 39 | 10.0 | Starred on his ODI debut to restrict UAE’s run chase in Sharjah |
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Junaid Siddique | UAE | 1 / 16 | 1.0 | Claimed the solitary Indian wicket of Sanju Samson during a rapid chase |
Key Moments and Turning Points
| Match and Tournament | Strategic Phase | The Key Moment or Turning Point | Direct Match Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | UAE Middle Overs | Kuldeep Yadav enters the attack in the 8th over, removing top-scorer Alishan Sharafu | UAE collapsed from a stable 38 for 2 to a mere 57 all out within 32 balls |
| Sep 10, 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Indian Run Chase | Abhishek Sharma hits two massive sixes in the opening over of the second innings | Completely shattered UAE’s defensive bowling plans, wrapping up the chase in 4.3 overs |
| Mar 3, 2016 Men’s T20 Asia Cup | The Powerplay | Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls consecutive maiden overs and dismisses Amjad Javed | Choked UAE’s scoring rate early, forcing them into a defensive shell to end at 81 for 9 |
| Feb 28, 2015 ICC World Cup | First Innings Spells | R. Ashwin is introduced on a bouncy Perth track, claiming 3 wickets in his first 4 overs | Broke the spine of the UAE middle order, bundling them out for 102 runs |
| Jul 16, 2004 Men’s Asia Cup | Indian Powerplay | India slips to 39 for 2 early against the swinging white ball under cloudy skies | Rahul Dravid hit a resilient 104, engineering a 111-run partnership to secure a 116-run win |
Match Result and Player of the Match
| Match Date and Format | Tournament or Series | Match Venue | Match Winner and Margin | Player of the Match | Winning Performance Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2025 T20I | Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Dubai International Stadium | India won by 9 wickets | Kuldeep Yadav (India) | Took 4 wickets for 7 runs in 3.1 overs to trigger a massive UAE batting collapse |
| Mar 3, 2016 T20I | Men’s T20 Asia Cup | Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Mirpur | India won by 9 wickets | Rohit Sharma (India) | Smashed a decisive 39 runs off 28 balls to lead a rapid powerplay chase |
| Feb 28, 2015 ODI | ICC Cricket World Cup | WACA Ground, Perth | India won by 9 wickets | Ravichandran Ashwin (India) | Delivered a lethal spell of 4 wickets for 25 runs across 10 overs on a bouncy track |
| Jul 16, 2004 ODI | Men’s Asia Cup | Rangiri Dambulla Stadium | India won by 116 runs | Rahul Dravid (India) | Anchored the first innings with a majestic 104 runs off 139 balls under heavy pressure |
| Apr 13, 1994 ODI | Austral-Asia Cup | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | India won by 71 runs | Bhupinder Singh (India) | Picked up a match-winning 3 wickets for 39 runs on his senior international ODI debut |
Conclusion
In summary, the statistical data across recent and historical encounters underscores the absolute dominance of the Indian National Cricket Team over the United Arab Emirates. Through clinical bowling spells from spinners like Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin, alongside aggressive top-order batting chases, India has repeatedly restricted the UAE to low totals. However, these multi-nation tournament fixtures continue to play a vital structural role for cricket in the Gulf region. Every head-to-head encounter provides UAE’s localized talent pool with the high-stakes exposure necessary to narrow the competitive gap against traditional cricketing superpowers in future tournaments.
