More than just cricket! Shubman Gill hugged UAE player after hitting winning runs in Asia Cup – See pics | Cricket News

Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav stroll off the sphere after India’s 9-wicket victory over UAE. (ACC Photo)

NEW DELHI: A few days earlier than UAE’s Asia Cup 2025 opener towards India, Simranjeet Singh questioned if Shubman Gill would even bear in mind him. Gill, now India’s Test captain and T20I vice-captain, had been just a 12-yr-outdated when Simranjeet had bowled to him in the nets in Mohali, Punjab.That query was answered swiftly in the course of the Group A match in Dubai. When Gill hit the winning boundary off the third ball of Simranjeet’s first over to seal India’s 58-run chase, he walked straight in direction of his outdated apply companion, shook his hand and hugged him — a gesture that lit up Simranjeet’s face with a large smile.Their cricketing paths had diverged drastically after these early days. While Gill rose shortly by the ranks, winning the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2018 and debuting throughout all codecs for India, Simranjeet’s profession stalled. He by no means performed first-class cricket for Punjab cricket group and moved to the UAE in 2021.“I had an offer to practice in Dubai and came here for 20-odd days in April 2021. Then the second wave of COVID-19 struck India, and I couldn’t return. I eventually stayed back,” Simranjeet instructed PTI.To qualify for UAE choice, Simranjeet needed to full three home seasons. Meanwhile, he made ends meet by teaching juniors and enjoying membership cricket.

“Once I got into the UAE team, I got a central contract with the Emirates Cricket Board and things are looking good,” he mentioned.On Wednesday, over a decade after their first assembly, Simranjeet bowled to Gill in a world match. The 35-yr-outdated began with a single to lengthy-off, then watched Gill pull his third supply again down the bottom for the winning boundary.

By then, India had already arrange the win with a ruthless bowling show. Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets in one over as UAE folded for just 57 in 13.1 overs. Chasing 58, India cruised to victory in 4.3 overs, due to a blistering 30 off 16 from Abhishek Sharma and Gill’s calm unbeaten 20 — however for Simranjeet, the actual spotlight was an embrace that bridged extra than a decade.