Are you looking for the Asia Cup 2025 teams and dates?
The wait is over!
The Asia Cup 2025 kicks off on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates, featuring eight fierce rivals battling for glory. This edition marks a historic expansion with more teams than ever before. The Asia Cup 2025 cricket tournament promises heart-stopping moments, surprise upsets, and unforgettable performances.
Defending champions India face stiff competition from powerhouses like Pakistan. The Asia Cup 2025 host nation, the UAE, provides a neutral ground for these cricketing giants. All matches will unfold at Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s world-class facilities. This tournament serves as crucial preparation for the T20 World Cup in February.
The Asia Cup 2025 India squad features fresh talent alongside experienced campaigners. With retirement claims of legends like Kohli and Rohit, new heroes must emerge. Other Asia Cup 2025 team line-ups similarly blend youth and experience, creating perfect conditions for explosive cricket.
Table of Contents
Tournament Overview: Format, Teams, and Significance
The Asia Cup 2025 features eight elite Asian teams competing in the T20 format. Group A contains India, Pakistan, Oman, and hosts the UAE. Group B comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong. With this structure, every team is guaranteed to play a minimum of three group stage games.
The top two teams from each group advance to the Super Four stage. Here, they play round-robin matches before the final two face off on September 28. The format is designed to produce great cricket, leading to the ultimate match between top teams.
Why the UAE Hosts: Behind the Scenes Decision
Formerly scheduled for India, security concerns prompted relocation. Political tensions between India and Pakistan necessitated a neutral venue. The UAE emerged as a perfect solution with prior experience hosting multinational tournaments.
The UAE previously hosted the Asia Cup in the 2018 and 2022 editions. Its world-class infrastructure and strategic location make it an ideal hosting choice. While the BCCI remains the official tournament host, all matches occur in UAE stadiums.
Squads Breakdown: Team-by-Team Analysis
India’s New Era
Suryakumar Yadav captains a reshaped Asia Cup 2025 India squad featuring exciting newcomers. Explosive opener Abhishek Sharma brings a phenomenal 193+ strike rate. The squad blends power hitters like Rinku Singh with crafty bowlers like Kuldeep Yadav.
Key Players: Abhishek Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav
Surprise Omission: Veteran wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant misses out despite recovery from injuries.
Team: Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tilak Varma, Jasprit Bumrah, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vc)
Pakistan’s Bold Rebuild
Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 team shows dramatic changes. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were surprisingly excluded after prolonged strike rate concerns. Captain Salman Ali Agha leads a new-look squad featuring explosive batter Hasan Nawaz (174 SR) and left-arm quick Salman Mirza.
X-Factor: Shaheen Afridi’s lethal bowling, Hasan Nawaz’s power hitting
Fresh Face: Salman Mirza impressed during the Pakistan Super League and the Bangladesh series
Team: Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Salman Ali Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Haris Rauf, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Haris (wk), Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Sufyan Moqim.
Sri Lanka’s Comeback Quest
Charith Asalanka captains an experienced squad including returning star Wanindu Hasaranga. Opener Pathum Nissanka enters the tournament in scintillating form with consistent scores.
Strength: Balanced bowling attack featuring Hasaranga, Theekshana, and Pathirana
Batting Anchor: Nissanka’s reliable top-order contributions
Team: Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera, Kamindu Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Dunith Wellalage, Charith Asalanka (c), Nuwan Thushara, Kusal Mendis, Nuwanidu Fernando, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Matheesha Pathirana.
Other Contenders
- Afghanistan: Rashid Khan leads spin-heavy squad after impressive T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal run
- Bangladesh: Taskin Ahmed leads pace attack with impressive 17.5 bowling strike rate
- Associate Teams: UAE captain Muhammad Waseem (155 SR) aims to inspire giant-killing performances
Afghanistan Team: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ibrahim Zadran, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Ishaq, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Allah Ghazanfar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Farid Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Sharafuddin Ashraf
Bangladesh Team: Tanzid Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Shoriful Islam, Litton Das (c, wk), Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Saif Hassan, Shaif Uddin
UAE Team: Aryansh Sharma, Muhammad Zohaib, Saghir Khan, Ethan D’Souza, Muhammad Farooq, Asif Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Matiullah Khan, Rohid Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Muhammad Jawadullah, Haider Ali, Simranjeet Singh, Muhammad Waseem (c), Rahul Chopra, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique
Oman Team: Sufyan Mehmood, Mohammed Nadeem, Faisal Shah, Vinayak Shukla, Aryan Bisht, Jatinder Singh (c), Hassnain Ali Shah, Ashish Odedera, Shakeel Ahmad, Muhammed Imran, Hammad Mirza, Aamir Kaleem, Zikriya Islam, Samay Shrivastava, Nadeem Khan, Karan Sonavale, Sufyan Yousuf
Hong Kong Team: Ali Hassan, Mohammad Waheed, Zeeshan Ali, Haroon Mohammad Arshad, Babar Hayat, Anshuman Rath, Niazakat Khan Mohammad, Kinchit Shah, Adil Mehmood, Ateeq ul Rehman Iqbal, Anas Khan, Ehsan Khan, Yasim Murtaza (c), Ayush Ashish Shukla, Ghazanfar Mohammad, Martin Coetzee, Mohammad Aizaz Khan, Nasrulla Rana, Shahid Wasif, Kalhan Marc Challu
Tournament Schedule
The Asia Cup 2025 date schedule runs from September 9-28 with 19 total matches. Action begins with Afghanistan versus Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. The group stage features these highlight matches :
Asia Cup 2025 Fixtures
- September 09: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong (Abu Dhabi)
- September 10: UAE vs India (Dubai)
- September 11: Bangladesh vs HongKong (Abu Dhabi)
- September 12: Oman vs Pakistan (Dubai)
- September 13: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (ABu Dhabi)
- September 14: India vs Pakistan (Dubai)
- September 15: UAE vs Oman (Abu Dhabi)
- September 15: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong (Dubai)
- September 16: Afghanistan vs Bangladesh (Abu Dhabi)
- September 17: Pakistan vs UAE(Dubai)
- September 18: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka (Abu Dhabi)
- September 19: India vs Oman (Abu Dhabi)
The Super Four stage begins September 20, with top teams competing in a round-robin format. The tournament concludes with the September 28 final at Dubai International Stadium.
India vs Pakistan: The Main Attraction
Cricket’s fiercest rivalry takes center stage on September 14 in Dubai. They might play thrice if both reach the Super Four and the final. This nightmare scenario for organizers has never happened despite 16 previous editions.
Historical tensions add spice to these encounters. Recent agreements restrict India-Pakistan matches to neutral venues only. The UAE provides a perfect backdrop for this cricketing spectacle.
Historical Context: Past Champions and Memories
India dominates Asia Cup history with eight titles. Sri Lanka follows closely with six championships, while Pakistan claims two. The 2023 edition saw India crush Sri Lanka in the final behind Mohammed Siraj’s six-wicket haul.
The tournament began in 1984 with India triumphing in the UAE. Politics occasionally disrupted the event, like Pakistan’s 1990 withdrawal over Kashmir tensions.
Asia Cup Championship History
- 1984: India
- 1986: Sri Lanka
- 1988: India
- 1990–91: India
- 1995: India
- 1997: Sri Lanka
- 2000: Pakistan
- 2004: Sri Lanka
- 2008: Sri Lanka
- 2010: India
- 2012: Pakistan
- 2014: Sri Lanka
- 2016: India
- 2018: India
- 2022: Sri Lanka
- 2023: India
Last Words
The Asia Cup 2025 promises unprecedented excitement with an expanded format and new stars. This tournament represents more than just cricket—it bridges political divides through sport. The UAE’s neutral venue allows fans worldwide to enjoy pure cricketing competition without external tensions.
All eyes focus on the September 28 final, where the new continental champions will be crowned. Whether India continues its dominance or new winners emerge remains uncertain.
One thing is sure: cricket fans worldwide will witness unforgettable moments during this Asia Cup 2025 cricket celebration. The tournament perfectly sets the stage for next year’s T20 World Cup, making every match crucial preparation for competing teams.
So mark your calendars for September 9-28 and prepare for Asia’s finest cricketers putting everything on the line. From emerging associates to established giants, every team dreams of lifting that coveted trophy.
Stay tuned with Sports Dribble and its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts for updates!
My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.
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