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UAE captain Muhammad Waseem downplays the hype surrounding their Asia Cup opener against India, emphasizing a focus on executing their plans. Inspired by Afghanistan's rise, the team aims to build on their T20 World Cup qualification. Waseem revealed their strategy involves collectively limiting India's key batters and carefully managing their bowlers, rather than targeting individual players.

India, fresh off their T20 World Cup victory, are set to begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against hosts United Arab Emirates at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the defending champions aim for a record-extending ninth title. India holds a strong record with 24 wins since last year's global tournament.

Azmatullah Omarzai set a new record with the fastest fifty by an Afghanistan batter in T20Is. His explosive innings helped Afghanistan dominate Hong Kong in the opening match of Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi.

Azmatullah Omarzai's explosive fifty off just 20 balls propelled Afghanistan to a formidable total against Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener. Omarzai's record-breaking innings, surpassing Mohammad Nabi's previous best, helped Afghanistan score 78 runs in the final five overs. Poor fielding from Hong Kong, including multiple dropped catches, further aided Afghanistan's late-innings surge.

Ravichandran Ashwin has criticised the Asia Cup 2025, questioning the competitiveness for Team India. He suggested the inclusion of India A or a combined Afro-Asia team to create a real challenge. Ashwin doubted other teams could compete with India's strong batting and bowling, hoping for a surprise winner to inject excitement into the tournament.

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.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha has given his fast bowlers the green light to be aggressive during the Asia Cup, emphasizing that aggression is inherent to their game. He stressed the importance of playing good cricket and aiming to win the tournament. Agha acknowledged India's strong Asia Cup record but believes any team can win in T20 cricket.

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka voiced their concerns regarding the Asia Cup 2025's scheduling and logistics. Rashid highlighted the inconvenience of traveling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi for matches. Asalanka expressed fatigue from back-to-back games and emphasized the need for recovery time amidst the extreme heat.

Dubai is gearing up for the Asia Cup 2025, but surprisingly, tickets for the highly anticipated India vs. Pakistan match on September 14 are still available, despite exorbitant prices reaching over Rs 2.5 lakh for two seats. The captains' press conference saw India's Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha kept apart, setting the stage for the intense rivalry.

India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav urges to keep things simple and aims to carry the momentum of the team's exceptional record in bilateral series. He feels that it is always a luxury to have batters in the side who could also contribute with the ball.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav lightened the mood on Sanju Samson's selection ahead of Asia Cup 2025. The decision remains uncertain as Shubman Gill's return complicates team balance and future planning.

Afghanistan begin their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong, entering as a dark horse title contenders. Their strength lies in a formidable spin attack led by Rashid Khan, but they face batting challenges with inconsistent performances and limited match practice compared to other participating nations. Despite recent struggles, Ibrahim Zadran has emerged as a batting positive for the team.

India begins their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against UAE on September 10 in Dubai, followed by a highly anticipated match against Pakistan. Shubman Gill's return is set to boost the batting lineup, with Jitesh Sharma taking over as wicketkeeper. The team's bowling attack will be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy.

With Shubman Gill returning as T20I vice-captain, the management is certain to prefer a Gill - Abhishek Sharma opening combination. In that case, Sanju Samson may have to give up his opening role. But is that the right call? Or should the management continue with the Samson - Abhishek pairing?

Hardik Pandya grabbed attention at the Asia Cup training by wearing a Richard Mille RM 27-04 watch, estimated at Rs 20 crore. This rare timepiece, one of only 50 made in collaboration with Rafael Nadal, overshadows the tournament's prize money. Team India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, will begin their campaign on September 10.

The Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled to commence on September 9 in Abu Dhabi, with Afghanistan playing against Hong Kong. India, the defending champions, will begin their campaign on September 10 against UAE in Dubai. The tournament will be played in the T20 format, offering crucial preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

India embarks on a new T20I chapter at the Asia Cup, transitioning after the departure of key veterans. Suryakumar Yadav leads a talented squad, aiming to maintain dominance and fine-tune strategies for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The tournament, featuring intense rivalries and rising stars, is hosted in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with conditions favoring slower bowlers.

The Asia Cup 2025 begins in the UAE with India eyeing a record ninth title under Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy. Without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the team faces a transitional test against fierce continental rivals.

Kevin Pietersen was puzzled at how Yashasvi Jaiswal's omission was not included in India's Asia Cup squad. The former England captain sees the young opening batter as the next big star in Indian cricket. 

Eight teams will be vying for the coveted trophy this year. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have gained direct entry. They will be joined by UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, who secured their spots by finishing as the top three sides in the ACC Premier Cup for associate nations.