DUBAI – The Asia Cup 2025 is underway, and the Indian cricket team is set to begin its campaign today, Wednesday (September 10), against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The highly anticipated match will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India is widely regarded as the tournament favorite and will be looking for a strong start, but they will need to be wary of an unpredictable UAE side.
Head-to-Head and Recent Form
In T20 international cricket, India and the UAE have only faced each other once before. This encounter took place during the 2016 Asia Cup, where India secured a dominant 9-wicket victory. India has also maintained its superiority in the ODI format, winning all three of their previous encounters. Their last ODI clash was in the 2015 World Cup.
Looking at recent performance, the Indian team’s record is highly impressive. Since the last T20 World Cup, India has won 24 out of 27 matches, with only three losses. This remarkable statistic highlights the strength of the team led by Suryakumar Yadav, who are considered strong contenders for the title.
Pitch and Weather Conditions
The pitch in Dubai is typically balanced, offering something for both batsmen and bowlers. For this Asia Cup, there may be a slight covering of grass, which could provide early assistance to the fast bowlers. Alongside Jasprit Bumrah, India might give an opportunity to another fast bowler. Additionally, the heat and humidity will severely test the players’ stamina and strategic planning.
Probable Playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.
UAE: Muhammad Waseem (C), Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (WK), Asif Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Harsheet Kaushik, Muhammad Zohaib, Muhammad Jawadullah/Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddiqui, Muhammad Rohid.
