Islamabad, Sep 8: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has thrown his weight behind the national team ahead of the Asia Cup, urging critics to hold back until the tournament concludes.
Pakistan enter the continental event on a confident note after clinching the Tri-series title against Afghanistan and the UAE, sealing the trophy with a thumping 75-run win over Afghanistan in the final.
Since Mike Hesson’s appointment as white-ball head coach in May, the side has won 10 of its 14 T20Is, showcasing a blend of youth and experience.
“Congratulations to Team Pakistan on winning the Tri-Series! This is a new but talented team playing fearless and aggressive cricket.
Under Head Coach Mike Hesson and his staff, we’ve won 10 out of 14 T20 matches already,” Naqvi wrote on X. “Let’s believe in our boys, coaches, and selectors. Full support to the Greens for the Asia Cup. Criticism and analysis can wait until after the tournament. Right now, they deserve our trust, support, and backing,” he added.
In the Tri-series decider, Pakistan set a target of 142 before their bowlers dismantled Afghanistan’s line-up for 66. Mohammad Nawaz was the star of the show, claiming a hat-trick across the sixth and seventh overs to leave Afghanistan reeling at 29/4. Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem chipped in with two wickets apiece as Pakistan wrapped up a dominant performance. (Agencies)

Dubai, Sep 8: Overwhelming favourites will be an understatement to define the Suryakumar Yadav-led India given the gulf between them and the seven other nations, including a mercurial Pakistan, when the battle for continental supremacy unfolds at the Asia Cup T20 tournament on Tuesday.
The action will begin with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi, but all eyes will be on Dubai, where a star-studded Indian team will be aiming to crush United Arab Emirates in its opener on Wednesday.
In a tournament that has often served as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup, the Asia Cup this time comes with a sense of inevitability.
The weight of expectations is on the Indian team, not merely because of its pedigree but also because the balance of power has tilted decisively in its favour.
India, for all their internal debates and external expectations, look like the one side that has clarity of purpose.
And clarity, in high-pressure tournaments, often counts for more than raw talent.
If one takes into account leadership, and sheer depth of talent, then this is India’s tournament to lose.
Such has been the confidence that chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir didn’t for once entertain the idea of picking a 17-member squad allowed by the Asian Cricket Council.
Instead, they picked 15 like they do for ICC events even if it meant keeping out players like Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Winning the continental showpiece for the ninth time (seven in ODI format and one in T20 format in 2016) would neither earn Suryakumar or head coach Gautam Gambhir any extra credit.But anything short of trophy would invite a deluge of criticism given that the T20 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in four and half months’ time.
Suryakumar and his colleagues have around 20 games (if they reach Asia Cup final) before the global event starts.
Getting the core combination right would be a major goal for the side.
India is such a powerhouse that at this point BCCI has the ability to field three national T20 teams of equal strength.
Suryakumar has been a phenomenal skipper so far with an astounding 80 per cent win record but now the leadership group will have vice-captain Shubman Gill, who is expected to take charge from the Mumbaikar in due course of time.
How the T20 skipper and Test skipper align and sing from the same hymn sheet will certainly be watched with a lot of interest.
The manner in which Indian batters reinvented the grammar of T20 batting, largely due to IPL exposure, has been difficult to match for teams like Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who were on even keel till a decade and half back.
Who can stop India
The broader storyline of the Asia Cup is therefore less about who can win it and more about

Who can stop India.

Their depth dwarfs Pakistan’s transitional experiment and Sri Lanka’s rebuilt side. Salman Ali Agha’s Pakistan team bears a young and fresh look.
The dropping of Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan is PCB’s clearest admission yet that reputations cannot hold a team hostage. But their success will largely depend more on how Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali bowl against a flamboyant Indian batting line-up.
Pakistan would feel confident that they hammered Afghanistan by 75 runs in a low-scoring final of a tri-nation where their spinners dominated on a slow Sharjah track.Sri Lanka, under Charith Asalanka, aren’t bad either but whether they have the consistency to win six to seven games in a tournament is a big question. Bangladesh, who remain mercurial in the shortest format, lack the firepower to sustain a challenge across the full length of the tournament.
To be fair, in group B, Bangladesh look like the second team that will be eliminated apart from Hong Kong.That leaves Afghanistan as the only realistic stumbling block, a team whose spinners led by the peerless Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed and the new kid on the block, A Ghazanfar, are expected to choke oppositions during the middle overs.
Add to that, a batting order that can punch harder than ever before.

The ‘Minnows’

As Oman deputy head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni put it during an interview with PTI, there is bound to be nervousness but the associate nations would look at games against India and Pakistan as an opportunity where a bigger audience can watch them ply their trade.
As far as the Indian team is concerned, in their group, their will be 12 NRIs pitted against them — six from UAE and another six from Oman.For UAE, Oman and Hong Kong , this is a tournament of reckoning and to showcase how far they have come in the past few years with improved infrastructure and better quality of expats from India and Pakistan representing them.
Bowling to a Suryakumar or facing a Jasprit Bumrah is a rare experience for these teams.
For now, the Asia Cup T20 carries one truth that towers above the rest: it is India’s tournament to lose. (PTI)

Dubai, Sep 8: UAE head coach Lalchand Rajput is relishing the prospect of facing his former pupil, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, as his side gears up for their Asia Cup T20 opener against the tournament favourites at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday.
Placed in Group A, the fixture appears heavily tilted in India’s favour on paper.
While India arrive after a grueling five-Test series in England with limited T20 action, the UAE have gained valuable match practice through a recent tri-series against Pakistan and Afghanistan, despite losing all their games.
Rajput, a former India Test batter, admitted the gulf between the two sides but believes the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket leaves room for surprises.
“India is a big team. They were the champions in the last World Cup.
But in T20s, the team that performs better on the day wins. A single batter or bowler can change the game. We will play fearless cricket,” he said.The UAE, returning to the Asia Cup after 2016, will bank on captain Muhammad Waseem, big-hitter Asif Khan, and a spin attack that Rajput feels could trouble India. “Our batting is strong, and we have good spinners.
The players have experience of playing in the UAE. There will be nervousness, but I think our players are ready,” he added.
Asked to identify India’s biggest threat, Rajput said the entire squad is packed with “match-winners”, citing the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma.
For Rajput, the occasion is also personal, as he prepares to reunite with Gambhir after many years. “He was the highest run-scorer in the 2007 T20 World Cup. I will meet him after a long time, and I am definitely looking forward to it,” Rajput said.
Squads: UAE: Muhammad Waseem (capt), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wk), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh, Saghir Khan. (Agencies)

Asia Cup 2025 matches

Date Match Group/Stage Time Venue
September 9 Afghanistan vs Hong Kong Group B 8:00 PM Abu Dhabi
September 10 India vs UAE Group A 8:00 PM Dubai
September 11 Bangladesh vs Hong Kong Group B 8:00 PM Abu Dhabi
September 12 Pakistan vs Oman Group A 8:00 PM Dubai
September 13 Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Group B 8:00 PM Abu Dhabi
September 14 India vs Pakistan Group A 8:00 PM Dubai
September 15 UAE vs Oman Group A 5:30 PM Abu Dhabi
September 15 Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong Group B 8:00 PM Dubai
September 16 Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Group B 8:00 PM Abu Dhabi
September 17 Pakistan vs UAE Group A 8:00 PM Dubai
September 18 Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Group B 8:00 PM Abu Dhabi
September 19 India vs Oman Group A 8:00 PM Abu Dhabi
September 20 Group B Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 2 Super 4 8:00 PM Dubai
September 21 Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group A Qualifier 2 Super 4 8:00 PM Dubai
September 23 Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 2 Super 4 8:00 PM Abu Dhabi
September 24 Group B Qualifier 1 vs Group A Qualifier 2 Super 4 8:00 PM Dubai
September 25 Group A Qualifier 2 vs Group B Qualifier 2 Super 4 8:00 PM Dubai
September 26 Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 1 Super 4 8:00 PM Dubai
September 28 Final 8:00 PM Dubai

Abu Dhabi, Sep 8: The Asia Cup T20 tournament gets underway on Tuesday with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong in the opening clash at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. While Afghanistan enter the contest as overwhelming favourites, Hong Kong will be hoping to spring an unlikely surprise against last year’s T20 World Cup semi-finalists.
Hong Kong arrive at the tournament with a poor record, having lost all 11 of their previous Asia Cup fixtures across 21 years. They have played 16 T20Is this year, preparing with four warm-up matches in the UAE, splitting results against Oman and local club sides. Despite the experience, they now face the daunting challenge of a group that also includes Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, will look to shake off the disappointment of their tri-series final defeat to Pakistan in Sharjah, where their batters struggled against spin. Still, the side boasts a strong record in Abu Dhabi, with 11 wins from 16 matches, though they lost their only clash here against Hong Kong in 2015. Their strength continues to lie in their spin attack led by Rashid Khan, alongside a balanced batting line-up.
Much of the focus will be on opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who endured a lean run in the tri-series, scoring just 98 runs at a strike rate below 110. Afghanistan will hope the hard-hitting batter can find form, with Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal providing stability at the top.
For Hong Kong, openers Anshuman Rath and Zeeshan Ali remain key. Both have notched T20I centuries this year and maintained strike rates in the mid-140s, with Rath averaging nearly 50.
Their ability to provide a quick start could determine how competitive Hong Kong remain in the contest.
Realistically, the odds remain stacked in Afghanistan’s favour.
With depth in both batting and bowling, they are expected to begin their campaign strongly, while Hong Kong’s task will be to challenge them and chase their first-ever win in the tournament’s history. (Agencies)

ASIA CUP 2025 | MATCH TODAY
AFGHANISTAN v HONG KONG | AT 8PM

Stats and trivia

In 21 years of playing the Asia Cup, Hong Kong have lost all 11 matches they have played.

Afghanistan have a better T20I record in Abu Dhabi – the venue of the match – than at any other ground in the UAE, winning 11 and losing 5. However, they lost their only match against Hong Kong at this venue, in 2015.

New Delhi, Sep 8: Legendary Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri have backed the Suryakumar Yadav-led side to shine in the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup, which begins on Tuesday in the UAE.
The 17th edition of the Asia Cup will feature eight teams – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong – vying for continental honours on their road to preparing for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
India will begin their Group A campaign against UAE on September 10, and is followed by games against Pakistan and Oman on September 14 and 19, respectively. After the league phase of the competition is over, the Super Four stage begins, with top two teams to play in the final scheduled for September 28 in Dubai.
“As Team India steps onto the Asia Cup stage under the dynamic leadership of Surya Kumar Yadav, we witness a blend of tenacity and experience steering the side. Surya’s ability to inspire through his innovative batting and captaincy complements the other members of the team.
“This squad symbolises the future of Indian cricket, diverse, versatile and combative. The Asia cup offers them a platform not just to defend India’s supremacy but to lay the foundation for a new era of Indian dominance in T20 cricket,” Gavaskar said in a statement by Sony Sports Network, the official broadcasters of the Asia Cup.
The Asia Cup will also be India’s first T20I outing since winning the home series against England by 4-1 in January. “With Surya Kumar Yadav leading from the front and Shubman Gill mastering the art of youthful leadership as vice-captain, this Indian squad exemplifies the perfect mix of experience and potential,” said Shastri, the former India all-rounder and head coach.
“Players like Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, and Hardik Pandya bring international class, while talents like Tilak Varma and Harshit Rana add spark and depth.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be the crucible where their mettle is tested, and I believe this team, under Surya’s calm and aggressive captaincy, will rise to the occasion and set new benchmarks for Indian cricket,” said Shastri, the former India all-rounder and head coach.
Apart from Gavaskar and Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar, Robin Uthappa, Bazid Khan, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Urooj Mumtaz, Russel Arnold, Simon Doull, Mike Haysman, and Athar Ali Khan will be the commentators for Asia Cup’s world feed, with the tournament to be streamed live on Sony LIV.
Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Ajay Jadeja, Abhishek Nayar, Vivek Razdan and Saba Karim will be on the Hindi commentary panel. WV Raman and Bharat Arun will be present in Tamil commentary feed, while Venkatapathy Raju, Venugopal Rao, Ravi Teja, and Gnaneswara Rao are on the Telugu language panel. (IANS)

New Delhi, Sep 8: Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has cautioned that the Suryakumar Yadav-led side could face challenges at the Asia Cup 2025 due to the absence of a third all-rounder in the squad.
Kaif pointed out that India’s winning formula at the 2024 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma was built on the balance provided by three all-rounders — Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya — which gave the team six bowling options and batting depth up to No. 8.
“Rohit’s team won the T20 World Cup with 3 all-rounders – Axar, Jadeja, Hardik – and that meant 6 proper bowling options and batting till 8. At Asia Cup, with only 2 genuine all-rounders – Hardik and Axar – India will have to find a new winning combination. Washington Sundar will be missed,” Kaif wrote on X.
With Jadeja retiring from T20Is alongside Rohit and Virat Kohli after the World Cup triumph, India’s resources in that department have narrowed. Washington Sundar has been named only as a standby player.
Kaif’s remarks highlight a potential imbalance in the side that skipper Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir will need to address as they seek to build a new core. (Agencies)