Team India’s spin bowling stalwart Kuldeep Yadav started the Asia Cup 2025 on a high note, whose 4-fer helped his side gain a dominating 9-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Now the spotlight shifts towards the wrist spinner’s bowling skills ahead of the high-octane clash against the arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14 (Sunday).
Kuldeep, who exhibited his red-hot form in the campaign opener on September 10 (Wednesday), is considered to be a nightmare for Pakistan in the Asia Cups played in One Day Internationals (ODI) format. But what about his contributions in the tournament that was played in the T20I format in 2016 and 2018?
While several others hail the 30-year-old as a match-winner against Pakistan, others argue him to be an overhyped spinner whose performance falls short of expectations.
The contrasting opinion sparked intense debate among fans and media. Let’s find out if Kuldeep’s hype is justified by analyzing his past performances against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
Kuldeep Yadav vs Pakistan in the T20I Asia Cups
Surprisingly, Kuldeep Yadav hasn’t featured in any of those Asia Cups that were played in the T20I format in 2016 and 2022, respectively. So, this marks a golden opportunity for the young spinner to prove his talent against Pakistan in Asia’s most anticipated 20-over showdown.
To explain in simple words, Kuldeep for the first time will face off against Pakistan in a T20I contest.
Has Kuldeep Yadav Been a Wrecking Force Against Pakistan in ODI Asia Cups?
Kuldeep Yadav’s spin bowling attack has proven to be formidable against Pakistan in Asia Cups that were played in the ODI format in 2018 and 2023. In 3 matches, he claimed 8 wickets, including a 5-fer in an inning back in 2023.
Here is a detailed breakdown of how Kuldeep’s bowling figures against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, which includes his 5-wicket haul in the 2023 edition:
| Date | Asia Cup Tournament Stages | Bowling Figures vs Pakistan | Economy | India’s Winning Margin vs Pakistan |
| September 19, 2018 | Group A | 1/37 in 8 overs | 4.60 | 8 Wickets |
| September 23, 2018 | Super Fours | 2/41 in 10 overs | 4.10 | 9 Wickets |
| September 10, 2023 | Super Fours | 5/25 in 8 overs | 3.10 | 228 Runs |
Asia Cup 2023 Super Fours: Revisiting Kuldeep’s Heroic 5-Wicket Haul vs Pakistan
Rewinding the clock to September 10, 2023, Kuldeep Yadav turned out to be a lethal spinner, leaving Pakistan’s batting line-up clueless.
India posted a mammoth 356 for a loss of 2 wickets in 50 overs. Thanks to the unbeaten tons from Virat Kohli (122* runs) and KL Rahul (111* runs), as well as the supporting fifties from the openers, namely Rohit Sharma (56 runs) and Shubman Gill (58 runs).
Pakistan, in the pursuit of chasing a gigantic 357-run target, lost half of their batting side at 96/5 in 24 overs. However, Kuldeep Yadav’s 5/25 in 8 overs dismissed these top and middle order batters:
| Pakistani Batters | Batting Position | Individual Score | Fours and Sixes | Team’s Score at the Time of Dismissal |
| Fakhar Zaman | 1st (Opener) | 27 Runs (50 Balls) | 2 Fours | 77/4 in 19.2 overs |
| Agha Salman | 5th | 23 Runs (32 Balls) | 2 Fours | 96/5 in 24 overs |
| Shadab Khan | 7th | 6 Runs (10 Balls) | – | 110/6 in 27.4 overs |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | 6th | 23 Runs (35 Balls) | 1 Four | 119/7 in 29.3 overs |
| Faheem Ashraf | 8th | 4 Runs (12 Balls) | – | 128/8 in 32 overs |
The men-in-green’s innings survived till the 32nd over and succumbed to a mere total of 128. Kuldeep’s heroic 5-fer steered India to a thumping victory by 228 runs at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
This was one of his finest performances that defined his status as India’s reliable spinner in white ball cricket.
Why Pakistani Batters Might Face Difficulties Against Kuldeep in the Asia Cup 2025?
Considering his recent form, Pakistan’s performance against spin and Kuldeep Yadav’s wrist spin bowling skills can prove to be a fearsome challenge for the Salman Agha-led side:
- Peak Form in Recent Outing: Kuldeep Yadav, who was introduced into the bowling attack in the 7th over, went on to grab 4 wickets in just 2.1 overs, thereby bundling out the UAE to just 57. His performance helped India start their campaign in style by chasing a weak target in just 4.3 overs.
- A Bigger Impact in T20I cricket: So far, Kuldeep has played 41 T20Is against 10 different teams and bagged 73 wickets in 40 innings at an average of 13.39, including his best bowling figures of 5/17.
- Pakistan’s Struggle Against Spin: In the recent T20Is, Pakistan’s batting line-up has performed poorly against spinners. Making use of this opportunity, Kuldeep Yadav’s technical abilities might prove to be a huge weapon for India to lead the spin bowling attack alongside Varun Chakravarthy.
- Contributions for India in Winning Cause: Out of 73 wickets, Kuldeep bagged 61 of them in a winning cause. In other words, his efforts played a crucial role in India’s success in 27 matches.
Overall Verdict
Kuldeep Yadav has made noteworthy contributions against Pakistan in the ODI format of the Asia Cups. So far, he hasn’t completed a single T20I match against the neighboring nation.
However, Kuldeep’s ability to maintain proper line and length proves him to be a match-winner for India rather than an overrated or overhyped spinner. Most often, batters found it difficult to read his spin bowling variations, which indeed remains his biggest strength to date.