UAE squad for Asia Cup 2025: The UAE has unveiled its 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, with Muhammad Waseem named captain. The tournament kicks off on September 9 in the UAE, with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong in the opening clash at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Fresh Faces in the UAE squad for Asia Cup 2025
UAE squad for Asia Cup 2025 includes two new additions: fast bowler Matiullah Khan and left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh. Both the players are not part of the ongoing T20I Tri-Series against Pakistan and Afghanistan but will be in action for the Asia Cup.
Matiullah Khan has featured in one ODI and five T20Is for the UAE so far, while Simranjeet has five ODIs and 11 T20Is to his name, last playing internationally at the Gulf T20I Championship last December. Both will be eager to make their mark on the big stage.
Group Stage Challenge Ahead
The UAE is slotted into Group A alongside India, Pakistan, and Oman. Group B consists of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. The UAE’s campaign begins on September 10 in Dubai, where they will face defending champions India.
While the UAE has yet to secure wins against India or Pakistan, they have enjoyed recent success against Oman. Playing on home turf, the team hopes to put on stronger performances this time around. The Asia Cup 2025 also marks their first appearance in the tournament since 2016.
Full UAE Squad for Asia Cup 2025
Muhammad Waseem (C), 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.
Support Staff Announced
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has also confirmed the backroom staff. The squad will be managed by Amjad Ezzi, with Lalchand Rajput as head coach. Fitness and conditioning will be handled by Azharuddin Qureshi, while Manipreet Sidhu joins as video analyst.
Naveed Ahmad will serve as the fielding coach, with Darshan Singh working as the side-armer for training. Physiotherapist Manish Pradeshi will take care of the team’s medical and recovery needs.
UAE’s Asia Cup 2025 Fixtures
- September 10: India vs UAE, Dubai
- September 15: UAE vs Oman, Abu Dhabi
- September 17: Pakistan vs UAE, Dubai
- September 20: B1 vs B2, Dubai
Recent Form in the T20I Tri-Series
The UAE’s recent run in the ongoing T20I Tri-Series hasn’t been ideal, but there have been glimpses of promise. Against Pakistan, they posted a strong 176 while chasing 208, showing real fight. Against Afghanistan, they fell short by 38 runs but once again competed hard.
With another match against Pakistan lined up in Sharjah on September 4, the UAE side will be looking to turn those close contests into more complete performances before stepping into the Asia Cup spotlight.
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