With the Asia Cup 2025 set to take place in the UAE this September, three of the contenders will warm up with a tri-series in Sharjah. Below are the key talking points as hosts UAE, Pakistan and Afghanistan gear up for action.
Captain cool
If Salman Agha is feeling under pressure after losing the class of Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan from his ranks, then he has a funny way of showing it.
Pakistan’s captain was coolness personified when the three leaders had their photo shoot with the trophy on Thursday afternoon, ahead of the tri-series starting on Friday.
That was a fair effort, given that it was 2.30pm in the blazing heat of late summer in Sharjah. And if his side is missing some familiar faces, then so be it. He sees it as an opportunity.
“Whenever you captain Pakistan or any country, it is a great opportunity and responsibility,” Agha said.
“I am loving that responsibility right now. The team I have is really helping me on the captaincy.
“They have been doing really well for the past three series, ticking most of the boxes, and we are really looking forward to this series.”
Welcome home
The UAE might be the hosts of the tri-series, but they have actually played the fewest T20 internationals at Sharjah Cricket Stadium of the three teams.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have both called the UAE's oldest cricket venue home in the past, and they know their way around it.
Afghanistan, for whom the venue was home when they started their extraordinary rise in international cricket, have won 17 of the 25 T20Is they have played there.
The UAE have played six T20Is, winning three, while Pakistan have won six of nine.
“For Pakistan, whenever we have come here we have always done well,” Agha said of a place which provided sanctuary when they were exiled from Pakistan for a decade.
“It is great preparation for us for the Asia Cup, playing against two great teams. We are very excited, and we are ready for the challenge tomorrow.”
Giant killers
It goes without saying that the UAE are the outsiders. Pakistan and Afghanistan are ranked eighth and ninth respectively in the ICC’s T20I standings, and each are packed with household names.
But the national team are unlikely to be daunted. Expectations might be low, but the rewards for success could be high.
Plus they are bolstered by the knowledge they have taken some major scalps already in this format.
In recent years they have taken wins over New Zealand and the Afghans, as well as completing a series win over Bangladesh in Sharjah earlier this year.
“This is a proud moment for us,” Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain, said. “We have beaten Afghanistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh, and this is a good opportunity for us, as an Associate team, to play against the best teams. We have prepared well and we hope to get our rewards.”
Young stars
All cricket fans know the merits of the likes of Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf.
But the UAE players? Less so. Waseem has won some admirers in his time opening the batting for the national team and in the DP World International League T20, but the rest are hardly known beyond cricket’s mainstream.
That could work in their favour, though, and the national team are not short on young talent. Asked to specify some players to watch ahead of the series, Waseem nominated Ethan D’Souza, Alishan Sharafu and Dhruv Parashar.
The latter two played key roles in the series win over Bangladesh, while the former, D’Souza, is still only 19 but has been around top flight cricket for the past three years.
“I am very happy with them, the way they have gone about their preparation, and the way they have changed their approach,” Waseem said. “Look out for them.”
Rashid’s plea
Rashid is unquestionably a great bowler, and probably Afghanistan’s finest ever cricketer. He is also a fine ambassador for his country.
Ahead of Friday’s opening match against Pakistan, he seemed almost pleased to be asked about fan unrest.
Security is likely to be a hot topic for a number of matches in the UAE over the next month or so.
The political situation between India and Pakistan mean’s cricket’s biggest fixture will be even more tense than usual.
In fact, matches between those two rivals in the UAE have almost always been good natured.
The same cannot be said about Afghanistan and Pakistan, whose matches have often met with ugly scenes beyond the boundary.
Rashid took his chance at the pre-tournament media briefing to ask for unity, and told fans to enjoy the game and respect each other.
UAE squad
Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’ Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mohammed Farooq, Mohammed Jawadullah, Mohammed Zohaib, Rahul Chopra, Rohid Khan, Saghir Khan
Fixtures
At Sharjah Cricket Stadium, all matches start at 7pm
Friday, August 29 – Afghanistan v Pakistan
Saturday, August 30 – UAE v Pakistan
Monday, September 1 – Afghanistan v UAE
Tuesday, September 2 – Afghanistan v Pakistan
Thursday, September 4 – Pakistan v UAE
Friday, September 5 – Afghanistan v UAE
Sunday, September 7 – Final
