Indian T20I Vice Captain Shubhman Gill’s Viral Instagram Post Following UAE Win Hypes Ind-Pak Clash

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Indian T20I vice-captain, Shubman Gill’s two-word Instagram post has gone viral after his team romped to a nine-wicket win against the UAE in a one-sided Asia Cup match in Dubai on Wednesday. The Indian test captain’s performance was in ominous touch as his return to the short-format side comes after a year of playing in the national jersey. Beyond the playmaking and statistics, it was his post on Instagram that made headlines.

The Post

Gill posted on his Instagram handle on Wednesday night: “Step one 🇮🇳🩵". Savage, right? Smart enough to send a message before facing arch rivals on the ground. Indian T20I Captain Suryakumar Yadav also posted on his social media handles: “The wait was worth it 🙌🏼Back on the field and starting with a win 🇮🇳💙".

About the Ind-UAE Clash

India entered the contest as the reigning T20 World champion and proved that in the very first match. The defending Asia Cup winner registered a thumping win in just 4.3 overs chasing a total of 57, losing only one wicket, the biggest in terms of remaining deliveries. 

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The bowling plans laid by team management were well executed by the unit, with the Dubai pitch helping the skilful Indian spinners. UAE batsmen, who started steadily, crumbled upon Kuldeep Yadav’s web. The Chinaman spinner grabbed 4 wickets, giving only 7 runs. He was well supported by mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and Shivam Dube, who took 1 and 3 wickets respectively.

While chasing, Abhishek Sharma (30 off 16 balls) and Shubhman Gill (20 not out off nine balls) gave a blistering start, stitching a partnership of 48 runs within 4 overs. After Sharma’s departure, it took only 4 balls to reach the target.

During the post-match presentation, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav said, “Clinical performance from the boys, we wanted good attitude and energy on the field, and that is what we got. Recently, a 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".

About Mega Sunday Ind-Pak Battle 

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There was a lot of drama since the customary captains’ meet, where two captains were seen avoiding a handshake. When asked about aggression on the field in high-voltage matches, Suryakumar Yadav responded: "Aggression is always there on the field. Without aggression, you cannot play the sport.”

India and Pakistan will face off on September 14 in the Asia Cup Group A match in Dubai. What holds for the Sunday clash? A thrilling one like the T20 World Cup 2024 or a one-sided clash like the India-UAE match? Fans are waiting eagerly for the second faceoff between India and Pakistan in 2025 after the Champions Trophy.