UAE Tri-series Archives

Sarfaraz Ahmed hails team selection for Tri-Series, Asia Cup 2025

KARACHI: Wicket-keeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed has praised the Pakistan squad selection for the upcoming Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025.

Addressing the media during a private event, Sarfaraz mentioned the younger players who are stepping up with their performances.

“This is a new team taking shape, with new players performing. Youngsters such as Hasan Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan, Hussain Talat, and Sufyan Moqim have been given opportunities,” said Sarfaraz Ahmed.

Regarding team selection, he stated that it’s a good team and is confident that this team will perform well in the forthcoming events.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“A good team has been announced, and I hope this team can perform well in the Tri-Nation and the Asia Cup,” the wicket-keeper said.

“Fakhar Zaman has consistently been a match-winner and has performed very well for Pakistan. As I said before, this is a young team, and in the UAE, Pakistan’s record has always been excellent,” Sarfaraz Ahmed concluded.

For the unversed, the 17-member squad announced earlier today will partake in the tri-series, scheduled to run from August 29 to September 7.

The series will serve as a crucial tune-up for the Asia Cup 2025, also to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28 in the T20 format.

Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and Asia Cup

Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

READ: Former cricketer questions Babar, Rizwan’s omission from T20I team

Pakistan name squad for Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled a 17-member squad for the forthcoming UAE T20 Tri-Series and the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday.

Salman Ali Agha will captain the team, which includes experienced players such as Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf. Additionally, young talents Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, and Hussain Talat have also been selected for the lineup.

Meanwhile, the ace duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have not been selected in the Pakistan squad.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s last T20I appearance came in December 2024 against South Africa.

Following the squad announcement, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson shed light on the selection of pacer Salman Mirza.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“We have retained Salman Mirza because of his performance in Bangladesh,” Hesson said.

Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and Asia Cup

Tri-series schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium):

29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan – 7pm local time
30 August – UAE v Pakistan – 7pm local time
1 September – UAE v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
4 September – Pakistan v UAE – 7pm local time
5 September – Afghanistan v UAE – 7pm local time
7 September – Final – 7pm local time

ACC Asia Cup T20 2025 (Pakistan fixtures, Super Fours and Final):

12 September – Oman v Pakistan, DICS, 6pm local time
14 September – India v Pakistan, DICS, 6pm local time
17 September – UAE v Pakistan, DICS, 6pm local time
20-26 September – Super Fours fixtures (Abu Dhabi and Dubai)
28 September – Final, DICS, 6pm local time

READ: Pakistan head coach Nolberto Solano arrives at Football House in Lahore

Afghanistan reveal preliminary squad for tri-series, Asia Cup 2025

KABUL: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced a 22-member preliminary squad for their upcoming T20I assignments, the tri-nation series against Pakistan and hosts UAE, followed by the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025.

As per the ACB’s official statement, the Rashid Khan-led squad will undergo a two-week training and preparation camp, after which the final 15-member squad for both events will be finalized.

Afghanistan’s T20I tri-series campaign will kick off on August 29 in Sharjah with a curtain-raiser against Pakistan.

The tri-series, scheduled to run from August 29 to September 7, will be held entirely at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and will see each team face the others twice, culminating in the final on September 7.

The series will serve as a crucial tune-up for the Asia Cup 2025, also to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28 in the T20 format.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

It offers all three participating sides, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE, a valuable chance to adapt to conditions ahead of the continental event.

Interestingly, Pakistan and Afghanistan were originally slated to play a bilateral series in August.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed converting it into a tri-nation tournament to enhance preparations for the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup 2026.

The preliminary squad of Afghanistan features several familiar names, including seniors Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, alongside emerging talents like Wafiullah Tarakhil, Mohammad Ishaq, and Nangyal Kharoti.

Afghanistan Preliminary Squad for Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025

Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Nangyal Kharoti, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Farid Malik, Saleem Safi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad.

Tri-Series Schedule (All matches in Sharjah, 7pm local time):

August 29 – Afghanistan vs Pakistan

August 30 – UAE vs Pakistan

September 1 – UAE vs Afghanistan

September 2 – Pakistan vs Afghanistan

September 4 – Pakistan vs UAE

September 5 – Afghanistan vs UAE

September 7 – Final

READ: Tamannaah Bhatia breaks silence on marriage rumours with Abdul Razzaq

Schedule of Pakistan, Afghanistan, UAE T20I tri-series revealed

LAHORE: The schedule for the upcoming T20I tri-series, featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was announced on Friday.

The T20I series will be played from 29 August to 7 September at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE.

This series will serve as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for and acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the eight-team ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.

It’s worth noting that initially, Pakistan were slated to host Afghanistan in a bilateral series in August.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) floated the idea of turning the contest into a tri-nation event and shifting it to the UAE, a move aimed at helping players adapt to the conditions ahead of the Asia Cup.

The opening match of the tri-series tournament will be played between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday, 29 August, with the first ball to be bowled at 7:00 pm local time.

Each team will play the others twice, giving all sides at least four matches before the top two teams qualify for the final, scheduled on 7 September.

Tri-series schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium)

29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan – 7pm local time
30 August – UAE v Pakistan – 7pm local time
1 September – UAE v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
4 September – Pakistan v UAE – 7pm local time
5 September – Afghanistan v UAE – 7pm local time
7 September – Final – 7pm local time

READ: Ian Bishop questions Mohammad Haris’ demotion in batting order