Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq believes Pakistan has a golden opportunity in the upcoming Asia Cup clash against India. He suggests Virat Kohli's absence makes India's batting line-up vulnerable if Pakistan's bowlers strike early. India's recent Asia Cup opener saw a dominant win against UAE, fueled by Kuldeep Yadav's spell and quickfire batting.
Team India, fresh off a dominant win against UAE in their Asia Cup 2025 opener, is keenly observing Afghanistan, a formidable T20 opponent. Key players like Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya were seen analyzing Afghanistan's net practice, focusing on their explosive batting and diverse bowling attack.
Wasim Akram believes Pakistan can challenge India in their Asia Cup clash, despite India's strong form and recent victories. Akram acknowledges India's strength but emphasizes Pakistan's confidence from their recent tri-series win. He also points out concerns about Pakistan's batting order and bowling depth, while praising India's bowling attack and system.
The Asia Cup 2025 began with a funny incident in Dubai as Suryakumar Yadav's toss confusion briefly overshadowed the start. After winning the toss, Suryakumar's delay in communicating the decision to UAE's captain led to a lighthearted moment. India chose to bowl first on a fresh pitch, while both teams revealed their playing XIs, ready to compete.
Afghanistan started their Asia Cup campaign strongly, defeating Hong Kong by 94 runs. Sediqullah Atal's unbeaten 73 and Azmatullah Omarzai's quickfire 53 propelled Afghanistan to 188/6. Hong Kong's chase crumbled under the pressure of Afghanistan's disciplined bowling attack, led by Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib, ultimately restricting them to just 94/9.
Sri Lanka has announced their 16-member squad for the T20 Asia Cup 2025, to be held in the UAE, with Charith Asalanka as captain. The team includes experienced players like Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga, who returns after recovering from injury. Sri Lanka's first match of the tournament is on September 13 against Bangladesh.
Former Kerala cricketer, Raiphi Gomez, suggested that Sanju Samson is more than flexible to bat lower down the order if the team needs it considering the return of Shubman Gill in the Asia Cup 2025 squad.
Sanju Samson continues his stellar form as the Asia Cup approaches. He scored a blistering 89 in 46 balls to help the Kochi-based franchise post a fighting first-innings total.
Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticized overseas cricketers for commenting on India's team selection, particularly Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the Asia Cup squad. The legend questioned the need for foreign voices to judge decisions made by Indian selectors, emphasizing that Indian cricket is strictly an Indian affair. He also argued that such foreign players hardly comment when it pertains to matters of their own country.
Former India cricketer, Virender Sehwag, believes that the upcoming Asia Cup will serve as the perfect testing ground for the Indian team to build their team for the T20 World Cup, slated to take place next year.
Sanju Samson hit a fiery century in the Kerala Cricket League. This performance boosts his chances for the Asia Cup. He opened for Kochi Blue Tigers and scored with rapid pace. Ajinkya Rahane supported his inclusion in the team, while Aakash Chopra suggests he might miss out due to team combinations. The debate around Samson's selection intensifies.
As the Asia Cup 2025 approaches, the scheduled India-Pakistan cricket match in Dubai faces political opposition. Samajwadi Party leaders question the appropriateness of sporting ties given strained relations and recent terror attacks. They argue that playing against Pakistan, especially after the Pahalgam attack, is unacceptable and would disgrace the nation.