September 13, 2025

The UAE’s clash against India in the 2025 Asia Cup Group A match might look like a one-sided story on paper. Under captain Muhammad Waseem, UAE was bowled out for just 57 runs in 13.1 overs — their lowest T20I total versus India. Indian bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube, dominated to power a nine-wicket win with 93 balls to spare. But if you saw the match from the start, you saw a different side of the UAE story. Opener Alishan Sharafu showed quick fire and courage. Against fierce bowlers like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, the 22-year-old batted with confidence and skill. Sharafu began his innings aggressively, scoring two runs off the first ball from Hardik. After a few dot balls, he charged hard at a short delivery, slicing it over a diving Shubman Gill for four runs! When Jasprit Bumrah came in to bowl, Sharafu stayed patient, hitting a boundary off the last ball of that over. After the game at Dubai International Stadium, Sharafu told the Hindustan Times how difficult and exciting it was to face Bumrah up close. “I was very confident when I went out there to bat. It was just the case of me wanting to see through the first couple of balls. Fortunately, I got two runs off my first ball, and it made it a lot easier to play the next balls that I played. These guys are such world-class bowlers, so you have to be a little more alert and a little more ready when you are about to play them,” he said. Sharafu explained how special Bumrah’s bowling style is. “Especially someone like Jasprit Bumrah, he has got such a short run-up and he tends to rush you at times. You don't get bowlers who bowl that sort of quality on a daily basis, where they are just jogging off a few steps and then bowl at you at 140 clicks. It was an exciting time for me out there. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it,” he added. Next came Axar Patel’s tricky bowling, famous for skidding the ball fast to hit the wickets. But Sharafu stood strong, scoring eight runs in five balls, including a classy inside-out lofted cover drive six — the first six of the match and a real gem from the UAE. Sadly, just as Sharafu looked settled, Bumrah bowled a perfect yorker to dismiss him for 22 runs off 17 balls. Still, his 22 was the highest score for the UAE that day. The match finished quickly, but the UAE players made sure to learn from the experience. Alishan chatted with India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate — a familiar face from Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20. He said, “We did have a bit of a chat with the Indian players. Some of our boys, especially those who are bowlers, had a bit of a chat with some of their spinners on how they approach different batters and different conditions. I personally had a chat with Ryan ten Doeschate because he was our coach at the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the ILT20, so it was great catching up with him after a while.” Born in Kerala in 2003, Alishan started strong young. He debuted for UAE U19 at just 15, stepped into T20Is at 17, and made his ODI debut at 18. Over 24 ODIs and 54 T20Is, he’s scored more than 1,600 runs. Discussing his journey, Sharafu said, “My journey started quite young in the UAE circuit. I started playing U-19 cricket when I was just 15. I played U-19 for a couple of years, and then I was called up to make my T20I debut when I was 17. I was then given my ODI debut next year when I was 18. After that, COVID struck, and there was a lockdown for a couple of years. Ever since, the journey has had several ups and downs.” He added, “But I think that's a part of every athlete's career. It just depends on how well you take the failures and how much you are willing to learn, because, like they say in cricket, you have more bad days than good. You still have to take the positives and focus on the things you did well. Leave behind the negatives, but also importantly, you have to reflect back on that and try to improve. You wake up every day looking to get better. It has changed from when I started. It has been a pleasant journey so far. Hopefully, many more years to come and a lot more success for us as a team. Super excited for all of it.” This glimpse of courage and learning shines bright even in a tough game. Alishan Sharafu showed that even when the odds feel stacked, brave batting and positive mindsets are the real winners.

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Tags: Asia cup 2025, Uae cricket, Alishan sharafu, Jasprit bumrah, T20i, India vs uae,