UAE to Host Pakistan and Afghanistan in Tri-Series Ahead of Asia Cup 2025

Boosting preparations for the Asia Cup, UAE will host a T20I tri-series with Pakistan and Afghanistan at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium from August 29 to September 7. The three teams will play a total of 2-2 matches against each other in this series, with the top-2 teams playing the final on September 7.

The first match of the tri-series will be played between Afghanistan and Pakistan on August 29. Hosts UAE will begin their campaign against Pakistan on August 30, after which the team will face Afghanistan on September 1 and Pakistan on September 2.

After this, Pakistan and UAE will face off on September 4, while the match between Afghanistan and UAE will be played on September 5. This tournament will give all three teams a great opportunity to prepare ahead of the eight-team ACC Asia Cup 2025 to be played in the United Arab Emirates from September 9.

UAE’s Cricket Team Notable Wins in Recent Times

For the cricket team of United Arab Emirates (UAE), this tri-series is part of their ever-growing stature in international cricket, especially in the T20 format. With strong teams like India and Pakistan in Group A of the Asia Cup, the hosts are set for their biggest test yet. They will face India on September 10, followed by a big clash against Pakistan on September 17.

UAE’s inclusion in the top-tier Asia Cup reflects the team’s growing credentials and their impressive performance over the last two years. Earlier in 2025, they created history by defeating Bangladesh 2-1 in a bilateral T20 series at home – their first series win against a Test-playing nation. They followed this up with notable victories in T20Is over Full Member teams such as West Indies, New Zealand and Afghanistan.

ILT20s Role in Boosting Domestic Talents

This improvement is thanks to the success of the UAE’s flagship franchise competition, the International League T20 (ILT20). Now entering its fourth season, the ILT20 has exposed domestic talent to international players and high-pressure scenarios, helping to bridge the experience gap. Players like Muhammad Wasim, Ayan Afzal Khan, Alishan Sharfu and Junaid Siddiqui have emerged with reliable performances, giving the UAE a core group that is capable of taking on much stronger opponents on their day.

Major Event Returns to UAE

Group B of the Asia Cup 2025 looks equally competitive. Defending champions Sri Lanka are joined by Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 4 stage. Each team in the Super 4 will play each other once, with the top two teams playing in the final on September 28.

The Asia Cup, played entirely in the UAE, marks the return of a major multi-national event to the country. The last time the tournament was hosted was in 2022, when Sri Lanka pulled off an upset by beating Pakistan in the final. The UAE has also hosted other major ICC events in recent years, including the men’s T20 World Cup in 2021 and the women’s World Cup in 2024.

With the countdown to the Asia Cup starting, the tri-series provides the UAE with another opportunity to test themselves against higher-ranked teams. The Pakistan and Afghanistan teams usually receive good support in Sharjah, and ticket and broadcast details for the T20 tri-series matches are expected to be announced in the coming days.

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T20I Tri-Series Schedule

Pakistan is currently busy playing a three-match T20 International series against the West Indies, losing 2-1 to Bangladesh in the last match. At the same time, the Afghanistan team will also play in the shorter format of cricket after December, where it defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in a three-match series. On the other hand, UAE will take the field after winning the T20 series 2-1 over Bangladesh in May.