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The UAE and India A sides have met several times in the ACC’s emerging-team competitions, creating a useful timeline for tracking the development of young players from both countries. Unlike a conventional senior international rivalry, these matches have involved India’s A side against either UAE A or the UAE senior national team, depending on the tournament format. The most notable meetings came in the 2023 Emerging Teams Asia Cup, the 2024 T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup and the 2025 Asia Cup Rising Stars. India A won each of those three encounters, but the matches have offered UAE’s developing cricketers valuable experience against highly rated Indian prospects.
This timeline covers the major meetings, tournament context, standout performances, important milestones and the players who made a difference in each contest.
Match Timeline
| Year/Date | Tournament | Match | Result | Key Performer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 14, 2023 | ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup | India A vs UAE A | India A won by 8 wickets | Yash Dhull |
| October 21, 2024 | ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup | India A vs UAE | India A won by 7 wickets | Abhishek Sharma |
| November 14, 2025 | ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars | India A vs UAE | India A won by 148 runs | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi |
The three matches represent different stages of the same emerging-cricket pathway. In 2023, both teams were represented by A or emerging squads in a 50-over competition. In 2024, UAE entered as its senior national side in a T20 tournament where several other teams were represented by A sides. In 2025, the rebranded Rising Stars Asia Cup again brought India A and UAE together in a T20 format.
2023: First Major India A vs UAE A Meeting
The first major match in this timeline took place on July 14, 2023, at the Singhalese Sports Club in Colombo during the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
UAE A were placed in Group B alongside India A, Pakistan A and Nepal. The tournament was played in a 50-over format, giving developing players an opportunity to experience longer white-ball cricket against strong opposition.
India A won the toss and chose to field.
UAE A made 175/9 in 50 overs. The UAE innings never developed into a very large total, but the side managed to bat through its allotted overs and put a target on the board.
India A’s response was considerably more convincing.
The Indian side reached 179/2 in only 26.3 overs, winning by eight wickets.
Yash Dhull’s Role
Yash Dhull, who captained India A, was the key figure in the chase.
His unbeaten century gave India A the control it needed to finish the game without serious pressure. The performance also highlighted the purpose of the Emerging Teams tournament: several players were being tested in international-style conditions before potentially moving toward senior cricket.
For UAE, the match provided exposure against a batting lineup containing players who had already performed strongly in India’s domestic system.
2023 Tournament Context
India A entered the tournament with a squad containing several players who would attract attention in the following seasons.
The squad included:
- Yash Dhull
- Sai Sudharsan
- Abhishek Sharma
- Riyan Parag
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Dhruv Jurel
- Harshit Rana
- Rajvardhan Hangargekar
BCCI confirmed that India A’s group also included Pakistan A and Nepal, with the top two teams advancing to the semifinals.
UAE A were led by all-rounder Ali Naseer. Their squad included players such as Aryansh Sharma, Ethan D’Souza, Muhammad Jawadullah, Sanchit Sharma and Adithya Shetty.
This made the match more than a one-off fixture. It was part of the development pathway for players who could potentially become important senior internationals.
2024: India A vs UAE in T20 Cricket
The next meeting came on October 21, 2024, at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Muscat.
This time the tournament was the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup, and the format had changed from 50-over cricket to T20 cricket.
There was also an important distinction in team classification.
India entered as India A, while the UAE participated with its senior men’s national side. BCCI’s tournament announcement placed India A in Group B alongside Pakistan A, Oman and UAE.
The match therefore provided a different challenge from the 2023 contest.
UAE’s First Innings
UAE won the toss and chose to bat.
The decision did not produce the desired result.
UAE were bowled out for 107 in 16.5 overs.
India A’s bowlers kept taking wickets throughout the innings, preventing UAE from building a substantial partnership or reaching a competitive T20 total.
India’s Chase
India A reached 111/3 in 10.5 overs.
The seven-wicket victory was achieved with 55 balls remaining, making it one of the more comfortable wins in the team’s emerging-tournament history against UAE.
Abhishek Sharma was one of India’s major batting contributors, while Rasikh Salam’s bowling helped restrict UAE.
The match also demonstrated the difference between a 50-over contest and a T20 contest. India A’s bowlers had less room for error, while the batters were able to attack immediately once the target was known.
What the 2024 Match Meant
The 2024 encounter was significant because it brought together two different development structures.
India A represented the country’s second-tier national pathway, containing players who were competing for eventual senior selection.
UAE, meanwhile, fielded its national side in a tournament designed around emerging cricket.
BCCI’s official schedule showed India A playing Pakistan A, UAE and Oman in the group stage before the knockout phase.
For UAE, the match was an opportunity to measure its developing international squad against one of the world’s deepest cricket systems.
For India A, it was another chance to test players under tournament pressure.
2025: The Biggest Victory in the Timeline
The third major meeting came on November 14, 2025, at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha.
The tournament had been rebranded as the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars, replacing the Emerging Teams Asia Cup name.
India A were placed in Group B with UAE, Pakistan Shaheens and Oman. BCCI confirmed that Jitesh Sharma would captain India A, with a squad containing several young players who had already attracted attention through the IPL and domestic cricket.
UAE were led by Alishan Sharafu.
The Emirates Cricket Board described the tournament as an opportunity for UAE’s emerging talent to gain experience against strong Asian sides.
India A’s Explosive Batting Display
India A won the toss and elected to bat.
What followed was the highest-scoring performance in the India A-UAE timeline.
India A scored 297/4 in 20 overs.
The innings was dominated by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The teenage opener smashed 144 from only 42 balls, including 11 fours and 15 sixes. His strike rate was 342.85, making the innings one of the most explosive performances in an ACC emerging-team competition.
Jitesh Sharma added 83 not out from 32 balls, giving India A another extraordinary scoring contribution.
Naman Dhir made 34 from 23 balls.
Together, Sooryavanshi and Jitesh transformed the match into a huge chase for UAE.
UAE’s Response
UAE finished on 149/7 from 20 overs.
Sohaib Khan was the leading batter, scoring 63 from 41 balls with three fours and six sixes.
Muhammad Arfan added 26, while Syed Haider made 20.
The innings contained several attacking moments, but UAE could not maintain the scoring rate required against a target of 298.
India A therefore won by 148 runs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Match.
Why the 2025 Match Stands Out
The 2025 match is the defining result in this timeline because the margin of victory was dramatically larger than in the previous two meetings.
| Match | India A Score | UAE Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 179/2 | 175/9 | India A won by 8 wickets |
| 2024 | 111/3 | 107 | India A won by 7 wickets |
| 2025 | 297/4 | 149/7 | India A won by 148 runs |
The progression is interesting.
In 2023, India A chased UAE A’s total comfortably.
In 2024, India A again dominated, this time in a shortened T20 contest.
In 2025, India A produced an enormous batting total before restricting UAE to 149.
The three results show India A’s consistent advantage in these meetings, but they also illustrate how different formats can create completely different match patterns.
Memorable Performances
Yash Dhull’s 2023 Century
Yash Dhull’s unbeaten century in the 2023 meeting was the first major individual batting performance in this series of encounters.
India A needed only 26.3 overs to complete the chase, and Dhull’s innings gave the side complete control.
Abhishek Sharma in 2024
Abhishek Sharma played an important role in India’s successful T20 chase.
India A needed only 108 runs, and the target was completed in 10.5 overs. The match showed how India’s aggressive young batting resources could quickly take control of a modest target.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 144
The most spectacular individual innings came in 2025.
Sooryavanshi’s 144 from 42 balls contained 15 sixes. That meant he scored 90 runs through sixes alone.
His innings accounted for almost half of India’s total by itself.
The extraordinary scoring rate also changed the nature of the match before UAE had even started its chase.
Jitesh Sharma’s 83
Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 83 from 32 balls complemented Sooryavanshi perfectly.
While Sooryavanshi provided the explosive start, Jitesh maintained the scoring rate deep into the innings.
India A finished with 297/4 at a run rate of 14.85 per over.
Head-to-Head Record
The major documented India A versus UAE meetings give India A a perfect record.
| Matches | India A Wins | UAE Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
This record covers the 2023, 2024 and 2025 emerging or Rising Stars meetings identified above.
It should not be confused with the senior India versus UAE record. India A and the UAE national team are different categories, and the tournaments have used different squad structures. For example, the 2024 competition featured India A against the UAE senior side, while the 2023 match was explicitly listed as India A versus UAE A.
Tournament History
| Year | Competition | UAE Representation | India Representation | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup | UAE A | India A | 50-over |
| 2024 | ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup | UAE | India A | T20 |
| 2025 | ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars | UAE | India A | T20 |
This distinction is important for readers searching the timeline because the phrase “UAE vs India A” can refer to matches involving different UAE squad classifications.
Important Milestones
First Meeting in the Timeline
The July 14, 2023 match was the first major documented India A versus UAE A meeting in the ACC Emerging Teams competition. UAE A made 175/9 before India A reached 179/2.
First T20 Meeting
The 2024 contest was the first of these major meetings played in T20 format.
India A won by seven wickets after restricting UAE to 107.
Biggest India A Total
India A’s 297/4 in 2025 is comfortably the highest team score in the three-match timeline.
It was built around Sooryavanshi’s 144 and Jitesh Sharma’s 83 not out.
Biggest Victory Margin
India A’s 148-run victory in 2025 is the largest margin recorded between the sides in these three major meetings.
Highest Individual Score
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 144 from 42 balls is the highest individual score in the timeline.
Highest UAE Individual Score
Sohaib Khan’s 63 from 41 balls was UAE’s highest individual score in the 2025 meeting.
Major Records
| Record | Player/Team | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Highest India A total | India A | 297/4 |
| Highest UAE total | UAE A/UAE | 175/9 |
| Highest individual score | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 144 |
| Highest UAE individual score | Sohaib Khan | 63 |
| Highest India A T20 score | India A | 297/4 |
| Biggest victory | India A | 148 runs |
| Most sixes in one innings | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 15 |
| Fastest scoring performance | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 342.85 strike rate |
The numbers from 2025 are particularly striking. Sooryavanshi’s 15 sixes were more than the entire UAE team managed in its chase, where UAE hit nine sixes collectively.
Players to Watch From the Timeline
India A
Several players who appeared in these fixtures went on to attract wider attention.
Yash Dhull was an important figure in the 2023 squad and captained India A.
Abhishek Sharma featured in the 2024 side and subsequently became an important name in India’s T20 setup.
Riyan Parag and Nitish Kumar Reddy were also members of the 2023 India A squad.
The 2025 group introduced another generation, including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, Jitesh Sharma, Naman Dhir, Nehal Wadhera and Ramandeep Singh.
UAE
UAE’s emerging pathway has also produced players who have become regular members of its international setup.
Ali Naseer captained UAE A in 2023.
In 2025, Alishan Sharafu led UAE in the Rising Stars Asia Cup, with players such as Aayan Afzal Khan, Sohaib Khan, Muhammad Arfan, Harshit Kaushik and Muhammad Farazuddin in the squad.
These tournaments give such players opportunities to face opponents with significant domestic and franchise experience.
Tactical Differences
The three matches also provide an interesting tactical comparison.
India A’s Batting Depth
India A’s biggest advantage has been its batting depth.
In 2025, India could field players such as Sooryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, Naman Dhir, Jitesh Sharma, Nehal Wadhera and Ramandeep Singh in the same lineup.
That allowed the team to maintain a high scoring rate even after losing wickets.
UAE’s Challenge
UAE have generally needed their top-order batters to provide a large portion of the team’s scoring.
Sohaib Khan’s 63 in 2025 demonstrated that UAE could attack India’s bowling, but the team could not sustain that pressure throughout the innings.
Development vs Depth
The most important difference is not simply the score.
India A is designed to provide a bridge between domestic cricket and senior international cricket. Its players often come from India’s enormous professional cricket structure.
UAE’s pathway operates on a much smaller player base.
Consequently, these matches provide UAE players with valuable exposure to high-level opposition while allowing India to assess its next generation.
Recent Meetings
The latest major meeting in this timeline was the November 14, 2025 Asia Cup Rising Stars match in Doha.
India A scored 297/4 before restricting UAE to 149/7. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Match after his 144 from 42 balls.
The result also gave India A two points in Group B. UAE subsequently continued its group campaign against Oman and Pakistan Shaheens.
The tournament was specifically designed to give emerging players exposure, making these fixtures useful indicators of the depth available to both cricket systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did UAE and India A first meet?
The first major documented meeting in this timeline came on July 14, 2023, when India A played UAE A in the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Colombo. India A won by eight wickets after UAE A made 175/9.
How many times have India A and UAE met in major emerging-team competitions?
India A and UAE have met three times in the major documented Emerging Teams or Rising Stars competitions covered here: 2023, 2024 and 2025. India A won all three matches.
Who scored 144 against UAE in 2025?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 144 from 42 balls for India A in the 2025 Asia Cup Rising Stars match. His innings contained 11 fours and 15 sixes and earned him Player of the Match honors.
What was the biggest India A win over UAE?
India A’s biggest victory in these meetings came in the 2025 Asia Cup Rising Stars. India A scored 297/4 and UAE made 149/7, giving India A a 148-run victory.
Is UAE vs India A the same as UAE vs India?
No. India A represents a developmental or second-string national squad, while India is the senior men’s national team. The UAE side can also vary by competition: the 2023 match was UAE A versus India A, whereas the 2024 and 2025 competitions listed UAE’s national squad against India A.
Conclusion
The UAE Cricket Team Vs India A Cricket Team Timeline is relatively short but packed with important developmental cricket moments. The three major meetings in 2023, 2024 and 2025 all ended in India A victories, but each match told a different story.
The 2023 contest was a comfortable 50-over chase led by Yash Dhull. The 2024 meeting showed India’s strength in T20 cricket, with India A reaching the target of 108 in just 10.5 overs. The 2025 encounter was the most spectacular, as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 144 and Jitesh Sharma’s 83 helped India A reach 297/4 before UAE finished on 149/7.
For UAE, these matches provide valuable experience against one of Asia’s deepest cricket talent pools. For India A, they offer another competitive environment in which young players can demonstrate whether they are ready for the next step toward senior international cricket.