"They will have to reconsider whether they should keep 8 teams" - Ajay Jadeja on UAE's collapse in IND vs UAE Asia Cup 2025 clash

Former India player Ajay Jadeja has noted that the Men in Blue's Asia Cup 2025 clash against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was a no-contest. He opined that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) might have to reconsider whether the continental tournament should be an eight-team affair.

India thrashed the UAE by nine wickets in the Asia Cup 2025 Group A opener in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10. They bowled the home team out for 57 and achieved the target in just 4.3 overs.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Jadeja questioned whether making teams like the UAE play in the Asia Cup 2025 works as an encouragement.

"There is no doubt that India are the superior team, but there was no contest at all. There is sadness because of the way the UAE approached their entire innings. I admit you can't compete against India, but you didn't even play 20 overs," he said.

"No matter how polite I might wish to be, it needs to be said that when we are talking about such a big tournament, and the Asia Cup is not a small tournament, they will have to reconsider whether they should keep eight teams because this is not encouragement, but a discouragement, because of the way they performed," the former India captain added.

The UAE got off to a decent start, with their openers adding 26 runs in 3.3 overs. However, they then lost 10 wickets for just 31 runs, with their entire innings lasting only 13.1 overs.

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"That quality, competitiveness, and edge were not seen at all" - Ajay Jadeja on UAE's batting in Asia Cup 2025 clash vs India

Kuldeep Yadav dismantled the UAE batting lineup. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Ajay Jadeja noted that the UAE's batting collapse was as fast as their former skipper Sultan Zarawani's Lamborghini.

"In the 90s, the UAE had a captain - Sultan Zarawani. He used to come to the ground in his Lamborghini. This innings went at the pace he used to come. It ended that quickly," the cricketer-turned-commentator said.

"Apart from the first three players, Alishan Sharifu and Muhammad Waseem, the captain, they don't have the talent. Asif Khan is a good player, there is no doubt about that. However, that quality, competitiveness, and edge were not seen at all," he added.

Alishan Sharifu (22 off 17) and Muhammad Waseem (19 off 22) were the only UAE batters to reach double figures in their Asia Cup 2025 clash against India. Kuldeep Yadav (4/7), Shivam Dube (3/4), Varun Chakaravarthy (1/4), Axar Patel (1/13) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/19) were the successful Indian bowlers.