T20I Tri-Series: UAE, Pakistan, and Afghanistan eye dress rehearsal before Asia Cup

Sharjah, Aug 28 (IANS) The T20I Tri-Series, featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and host United Arab Emirates (UAE), kicks off on Friday as a perfect dress rehearsal for the Asia Cup 2025, bringing together three ambitious nations at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The three teams will battle in a double round-robin format from August 29 to September 7, with the top two teams advancing to the final just two days before the continental showpiece begins.

This Tri-series represents crucial preparation opportunities for all three participants, who will benefit enormously from acclimatising to the UAE conditions ahead of the Asia Cup (September 9-28). The timing couldn't be more strategic, as Pakistan and Afghanistan find themselves grouped differently in the main tournament – Pakistan in Group A alongside India, Oman, and UAE, while Afghanistan feature in Group B with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong.

Pakistan enter the event with renewed leadership under captain Salman Ali Agha, notably without senior stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The Green Shirts will rely on explosive opener Fakhar Zaman, who, despite recent injury concerns, brings 1,949 T20I runs at a strike rate of 131.77.

Left-arm pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi and express bowler Haris Rauf anchor an attack seeking redemption after underwhelming performances in seven recent T20I series, winning just three.

Afghanistan arrive as the tournament's form team, riding high on their historic T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal appearance, where they stunned Australia and New Zealand. Captain Rashid Khan leads an unchanged squad of 16 from their Asia Cup selection, with only pacer Naveen-ul-Haq absent from the Tri-series. The spin trio of Rashid, Mohammad Nabi, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman remains world-class, while batting revolves around destructive wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz and consistent Ibrahim Zadran.

Hosts UAE present intriguing underdogs under Muhammad Waseem's captaincy, drawing confidence from their stunning T20I series victory over Bangladesh in May 2025. The squad features four new faces, including uncapped 28-year-old Harshit Kaushik and experienced medium pacer Junaid Siddique, who brings 96 T20I wickets. Their recent Pearl of Africa Cup final appearance demonstrates growing competitiveness against established nations.

The tournament format ensures maximum competitiveness, with each team playing the others twice before the September 7 final. Afghanistan and Pakistan's head-to-head record stands fascinatingly poised at 4-3 in Pakistan's favour from seven previous T20I encounters, promising explosive cricket between two teams separated by just one win.

Strategic implications extend beyond immediate preparation, as this tri-series offers final opportunities for tactical refinement and combination testing. Afghanistan's potential final appearance would leave them just one day's rest before facing Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener, while Pakistan must address recent batting inconsistencies against quality spin bowling.

In the opening match of the series, Afghanistan will take on Pakistan on Friday before the host UAE take on the latter on the following day.

--IANS

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