UAE begin Asia Cup preparations with tri-series challenge

Dubai: The UAE men’s cricket team will begin their preparations for next month’s Asia Cup with a testing assignment at home in the Inverex Solar Energy presents Bank Alfalah T20I Tri-Series 2025. Seasoned opener Muhammad Waseem will captain the 15-member squad in the competition that features Pakistan and Afghanistan, starting on Friday at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The tournament provides the ideal build-up for all three teams ahead of the ACC Asia Cup 2025, which begins in the UAE on September 9. UAE will face Pakistan in their opening game on Saturday, after Pakistan and Afghanistan meet in the series opener.

Head coach Lalchand Rajput said the tri-series comes at the perfect time for UAE as they prepare to take on Asia’s heavyweights. The squad recently returned from a four-nation event in Uganda, where every player was given match time in readiness for this phase.

“Beating Test-playing countries, especially Bangladesh, has given us a lot of confidence,” Rajput had told Gulf News. “It’s not about overconfidence — it’s about believing that we can compete with and beat bigger teams. Playing Pakistan and Afghanistan before the Asia Cup is the best possible preparation.”

Rajput stressed that the team’s focus is firmly on fitness, fielding, and mental strength to bridge the gap against higher-ranked opponents. “We are training in the evenings to handle the conditions. Skill, fitness, and fielding are all crucial at this level. Against big teams you have to be mentally strong and physically fit. Fitness tests, including the yo-yo test, are mandatory, and only players who are fully fit will be considered,” he said.

The coach believes UAE’s recent successes have created genuine self-belief. “If you can beat Bangladesh, then why not target upsets against other top teams? In T20 cricket, anything can happen. Our players are excited for this challenge.”

Tickets for the tri-series are now available online and at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium box office. General stand tickets start at Dh30, while Gold and Platinum seating begins at Dh100. Hospitality packages, including Diamond, VIP Suites, and Royal Lounge options, are priced from Dh400. Gates will open at 4pm for Pakistan-Afghanistan matches and 5pm for UAE fixtures.

Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wicketkeeper), Rohid Khan and Saghir Khan.

Support staff: Amjad Ezzi (team manager), Lalchand Rajput (head coach), Azharuddin Qureshi (strength and conditioning coach), Manipreet Sidhu (video analyst), Manish Pradeshi (physiotherapist).

August 29: Afghanistan vs Pakistan – 7pm

August 30: UAE vs Pakistan – 7pm

September 1: Afghanistan vs UAE – 7pm

September 2: Afghanistan vs Pakistan – 7pm

September 4: Pakistan vs UAE – 7pm

September 5: Afghanistan vs UAE – 7pm

September 7: Final – 7pm